


even if the pandemic lasts forever

by catmig



Category: Glee
Genre: COVID-19, Current Events, Drama, F/F, Pandemics, Quarantine, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-27
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:21:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 28,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26685823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catmig/pseuds/catmig
Summary: Life was perfect. It was exactly how Santana had dreamt it would go for her. Nothing could go wrong for her fairy tale to be complete; she was on her way to happily ever after. Well maybe one thing. Maybe a global pandemic could happen.
Relationships: Santana Lopez/Brittany S. Pierce
Comments: 17
Kudos: 64





	1. Chapter 1

It is a Wednesday in early March when Santana notices the shift in the atmosphere. Her law office is usually chaotic, and constantly buzzing with that New York City energy that Santana craves. Today, though, there’s a quietness, a nervous feeling that permeates the air. It is especially noticeable in the emergency staff meeting that she gets called into. All of the partners are there, and even her coworker Quinn, who is usually always calm and collected, seems a bit on edge.

“We’re going to be shutting the office down and working from home,” the lead partner at the firm announces. “Hopefully this will all blow over in a few weeks, but until then we can’t take any chances. We’ll have a zoom meeting tomorrow that we’ll email out and start rescheduling court dates. Be safe everyone.” 

There’s not really much else for them to say and people start shuffling out. That nervous energy fills the air again. “Well, fuck,” Quinn mumbles from next to her and Santana is so distracted in her own thoughts she barely notices her friend standing up. “This is crazy. They don’t even close the office when there’s a blizzard.” 

“Yeah,” Santana says as she’s trying to recall a time since she’s worked here that they have ever shut down. Not once in the three years she has worked for the high powered law firm, a job she was lucky to get right out of law school, have they shut down the office. 

It isn’t that Santana wasn’t taking this whole COVID-19 thing seriously. She reads the news. Her father is a doctor. She knows it is serious. But like most things, she kind of just assumes it would go away without really affecting her. But now as she is grabbing files that she can work on from home and giving her office plants a little extra water; it all seems more real. 

She and Quinn take the elevator down several flights to be greeted with a normally bustling midtown. Today, it is a shuffle of people having serious calls on phones, multiple people wearing masks, and a general vibe of people looking terrified. 

This is not the New York City that Santana loves. It is not the New York City she moved to after high school and never looked back. The New York City that got her through Columbia undergrad and then Fordham law school. The New York City where she went out one night after getting her job at one of the most prestigious law firms in the country and met her girlfriend, Brittany. 

Brittany.   
Just the thought of her beautiful dancer girlfriend makes Santana’s nerves from the energy around her completely dissipate.

“I guess I’ll see you in a few weeks when this is all over, San?” Quinn asks as they start to go their separate ways.

“Looks like, stay safe Quinn,” Santana waves to her friend, not knowing that it would be much longer than a few weeks before she would see her friend in person again.

She’s halfway to her apartment when she notices people piling out of stores with packs of toilet paper. She pulls out her phone and goes right to her most recent contacts and hits the call button; her AirPods snuggly in her ears. 

“Hey you,” her girlfriend’s bubbly voice tickles her ear immediately. 

“Hey babe, we have toilet paper right?” Santana asks quickly, no time for pleasantries. 

“Oh I love it when you talk dirty to me San,” Brittany giggles and Santana is hopeless, rolling her eyes but not in the snarky way that she does it to anyone else. However, she is caught up looking in the store seeing toilet paper fly off the shelves. 

“I know you do, but seriously. I’m out and it seems like everyone is buying toilet paper because of this Coronavirus thing,” Santana explains, trying to think of other things their apartment might need.

Their apartment. The concept of sharing an apartment with someone was still new to Santana.

(Well, new for the last six months.)   
She met Brittany at a club where the blonde was performing that night for a cabaret night. The singer that night was Santana’s old college roommate, Mercedes. Brittany was working for Mercedes that night and the two were introduced by their mutual friend. And without even trying that hard Brittany took Santana’s heart. She was sexy and flirty and funny, and smart in a way that made Santana look at everything differently.    
They dated for two years. It was one of the longer relationships either one of them had had, but everything about it was so easy for Santana.  It was easy to fall in love with Brittany. It was easy to go into work every day and brag about her professional dancer girlfriend who performed with Beyonce and Rihanna and was a member of one of the best dance companies in the country and co-directed a studio in Manhattan. It was easy to introduce the blonde to her parents who immediately fell in love with her too. It was even easy when Santana saw Brittany in her kitchen cooking breakfast in one of Santana’s button up shirts and nothing else to tell her exactly what was on her mind. “You should move in with me.” 

They decided to find their own space, though. It was Brittany’s idea, and like all of Brittany’s ideas, Santana agreed immediately. They used their combined incomes and got a two bedroom on the Lower East Side six months ago.

Life was perfect. It was exactly how Santana had dreamt it would go for her. Meet someone fabulous. Fall in love. Move in. Eventually get married. Eventually have babies. Happily ever after. 

(She hadn’t proposed yet, but it wasn’t far away in the future either.)

Nothing could go wrong for her fairy tale to be complete; she was on her way to happily ever after. 

Well maybe one thing.

Maybe one big thing.

Maybe a global pandemic could happen.

(But your average fairy tales don’t exactly have that happening, so who could have seen that one coming?)

“Why would people be buying so much toilet paper? Does the virus make you poop a lot or something?” Brittany’s voice in her ear interrupts Santana’s reminiscing and she couldn’t help the laugh that escapes her.

“I don’t know babe, maybe. I’ll pick some up just in case,” Santana pushes the door open and the store is mass chaos. “I should get going, I might need to tackle an old lady to get some.”

“Be nice,” Brittany quickly chides the familiar phrase she says at least once a week to Santana. “Wait aren’t you supposed to be at work right now?” 

“I’ll explain later,” Santana mumbles as she makes her way through the crowd in the store. “Be safe getting home tonight, Britt. People are acting all kinds of crazy.”

“Okay, you too. Love you.”

(Love you. God she never got tired of hearing that.)

“Love you too,” Santana says and waits until she hears the dial tone to go back to finding some toilet paper.

* * *

The next morning Santana and Brittany are snuggled up together in their bed when Brittany gets a call from Mike at her dance studio. Santana is half asleep, but notices when Brittany lays back down and snuggles back up to her. “All performances and classes are cancelled until further notice,” Brittany mumbles through a yawn and Santana pulls the blonde closer to her warm body. Brittany’s head tucking into her neck. “It’s like an indefinite snow day and we can make our own love cocoon,” Brittany says as she tangles her legs with Santana’s.

Santana smiles with her eyes closed, thinking how right Brittany is. “Yeah babe, it is.” She kisses Brittany’s forehead that’s cuddled into her. 

She’s drifting off to sleep when she feels a warm hand creeping underneath her shirt and drawing circles on her stomach.

“You know what my favorite part of a snow day is?” She notices the tone in Brittany’s voice. It’s her favorite tone. It’s the tone that tells her she’s about to get very lucky.

“What’s that?” Santana laughs, knowingly, feeling Brittany’s hand on her skin. 

Instead of getting an answer she’s being pushed on to her back and straddled by a grinning Brittany. 

Lips are on hers instantly and Brittany’s hands are uncontrollable as they are ripping Santana’s shirt off of her and palming her now exposed breasts. 

Santana could get used to this.

In fact, this is amazing.

Brittany on top of her, grinding into her in the way that makes Santana go crazy. Brittany’s lips are on her neck and making her moan in a way that only Brittany can make happen.

(Yeah, an indefinite snow day sounds like heaven to Santana.)

* * *

A few days later all indoor dining in the state is closed. Then all of the Broadway shows are cancelled. Then there’s a mandate to wear masks outdoors. 

And just like that they are on complete and total lock down.

“You two are staying in, right?” Santana’s mother is asking worriedly over the phone. 

“Yes, mami. We went to the store a few days ago, but that’s been it,” Santana answers as she’s snuggling up to Brittany on the couch as they are watching the rest of Governor Cuomo’s daily briefings. 

“The rates are getting very high in New York, Santana. Please be safe.”

Her mom is on speaker and Brittany shoots her a warning look to not be snarky to her mother, because Brittany loves her mom and knows she is just worried. Santana knows that too, but it’s easy to snap at her. 

“We’re being extra careful, Maribel,” Brittany answers before Santana can say anything. “Is Carlos doing okay at the hospital?” Brittany worries about Santana’s parents just like they are her own, and it makes Santana’s heart swell as she looks at Brittany with a smile.

“Yes he is, there aren’t too many cases around us right now.”  
The three spend a few more minutes catching up before they get off the phone. Brittany wraps her arms around Santana’s waist and pushes Santana further into the couch cushions. Santana can tell by how tight Brittany is squeezing that she’s a little anxious. 

In their two and a half years together, Santana has learned that Brittany is a physical person; she uses her words, but she expresses herself best through touches and actions, especially when she’s anxious or upset. So instead of asking Brittany if she is okay, Santana squeezes her back around the shoulders and wraps her arms around the blonde. Santana kisses Brittany on the head and rubs her back a little, waiting until she can feel Brittany settle a little bit.

“This is all kind of scary,” Brittany finally says. There it is. There’s the fear that Brittany has kept bottled in for all these days. Santana’s been waiting for it, but she learned early on in their relationship not to push Brittany too hard.

“It is,” Santana agrees and places a firm, grounding kiss to Brittany’s forehead. “At least we’re stuck in here together, right?”

She doesn’t mean for it to come out with a hint of nerves. It just does. Because Santana’s scared with all of this too (even though she doesn’t say it out loud). But the idea of having to do this without Santana in the same apartment as her? Now that is terrifying. 

  
She gets her answer when Brittany shifts in her arms to look her in the eye with a big smile on her face. “There is no one else I’d rather be stuck inside with,” Brittany says it so confidently and surely that Santana feels the whole crazy world around them disappear. 

She’s too busy getting lost in blue eyes. She’s too lost in feeling Brittany’s fingers scratching her scalp at the back of her head and pulling their faces together into a deep kiss.

The situation is scary. But when Brittany kisses her like that, she feels like she can do anything, no matter what the situation is.

* * *

By the end of March Santana has turned their second bedroom into her office. She’s having Zoom calls with clients and other lawyers. Most of her and Brittany’s other friends are all out of work or laid off, so Santana recognizes she’s lucky. Especially as she watches Brittany spend most of her days trying to find ways to keep herself entertained.

“What’s Brittany’s big project today?” Quinn asks through the computer screen.

“I think she was going to tackle banana bread today,” Santana says as she sips her coffee.

“Well at least you get to enjoy some baked goods?”

Santana just laughs. “Yeah, I’ll be about 20 pounds heavier when all of this is over.”    
They’re talking a little while longer when Brittany is yelling for Santana from the other room. 

“Banana bread emergency?” Quinn jokes.

“Sounds like it. I’ll talk to you later.” Santana leaves the Zoom call and heads out to the living room where Brittany is sitting on the couch. “What’s up babe?”

“Hannah tested positive.” 

Santana feels her heart rate quicken. Hannah is a dancer with Brittany. Brittany just saw Hannah a few weeks ago. Her thoughts were swimming, but she is interrupted when she finally sees Brittany cuddled up on the couch looking terrified. Santana shoves her own thoughts aside and rushes to the couch with Brittany, pulling her quickly into a hug. She tries to squeeze all the nerves out of Brittany, rubbing her back and arms and whispering soothing words into blonde hair. “It’s okay.” She says as she feels Brittany take a deep breath in. “She’ll be okay.”

“She was fine when I saw her,” Brittany mumbles as she pulls away from Santana’s embrace. “She apparently just started feeling a little feverish last week and they had her get tested. Mike says since we were all with her last week we should isolate and watch for symptoms.” Brittany is pouting and Santana is trying to not let her own panic come to surface. She has to be strong for Brittany, because she cannot live with that pout on Brittany’s face. 

Out of habit she runs her thumb across Brittany’s bottom lip. 

“It’s okay. You’re okay.” Santana’s not sure if she’s saying it for herself or for Brittany at this point. “We’ll just check your temperature and watch for any symptoms, and you’re already not going outside right now, so you’ll just keep doing that and we’ll call my dad to see if there’s anything else to do.” Santana has no idea how she’s keeping her voice so calm and sounding so sure of herself, but it seems to work because Brittany’s pout disappears.

“How do you do that?” Brittany asks.

“Do what?” Santana still has her hand on Brittany’s face, but her fingers drag down from Brittany’s lip to her neck, her thumb rubbing a soothing circle at Brittany’s pulse point.

“Make everything sound so easy,” Brittany whispers, getting lost in Santana’s touch. 

Santana hums and dips her head to start kissing and gently sucking at Brittany’s pulse point where her thumb was just rubbing. “Because it is easy.” Santana whispers and she can see goosebumps hit Brittany’s neck where her breath tickled. She kisses Brittany's neck up to her ear and licks by the blondes earlobe, where she knows it drives Brittany crazy.

“You’re not panicking?” Brittany asks, her voice a little distracted with the way that Santana is licking her right at that spot. 

Santana hates how well Brittany knows her. Of course Brittany knows that Santana is panicking, because that’s what Santana does in moments like this.

Less than a year ago, Brittany twisted her ankle during a performance and Santana was so panicked and stressed about every little doctor’s appointment that Brittany had actually yelled at her to calm down and the two got in a big fight outside of the doctor’s office. 

But it was who Santana was and who Brittany loved, and they made up that night. 

Make up sex with Brittany was the best.

(All sex with Brittany was the best.)

Santana doesn’t answer. She just brings her hands to the back of Brittany’s neck and brings her closer. Brittany’s okay. Brittany doesn’t have a fever. She did a mental scan to remember if she even has heard Brittany clear her throat from a cough in the last few weeks.

Sure, she’s panicked because her girlfriend has been potentially exposed to a life threatening virus. Sure, there are probably a million things that Santana should be doing to make sure both of them are safe and get checked out. 

But right now Brittany is moaning and scratching the back of her scalp in the way that completely turns Santana on. 

She can’t think of the panic that’s in her stomach. 

She knows that Brittany is panicked too, because Hannah and Brittany are close friends and Brittany is probably worried about her friend and not even thinking about her own health. (Sometimes Brittany’s sweetness and kindness is enough to drive Santana insane)

So she has to do something to distract them both. (It’s only the right thing to do after all). 

“No panicking allowed,” Santana mumbles and she grabs Brittany by the back of the legs and pushes her down on the couch. She nestles on top of Brittany and just kisses and sucks and pushes her hand down Brittany’s sweatpants and touches Brittany until the sweet moans from Brittany are the only thing she can focus on.

They can panic later.

* * *

They end up calling Santana’s father later that night who advises them not to panic. (See, Santana was right).

They have to check their temperatures regularly and watch for any symptoms for the next two weeks. Unfortunately, they can’t get tested in New York unless they have symptoms yet. This annoys Santana, but she understands that tests are limited right now, and Brittany’s squeezing her hand to bring her back from her angry place.

After the call Santana feels better. Brittany’s okay. Yes, she was exposed, but she has no symptoms and neither does Santana. So everything in their bubble is perfect.

Brittany is going back to baking banana bread in the kitchen, wearing nothing but her boy shorts (that hug her ass so perfectly) and one of Santana’s sweatshirts from Columbia. Santana can’t resist the urge to wrap her arms around Brittany and kiss the red mark she left under the blonde’s ear earlier. 

“At least I don’t have to cover up any of your love bites now,” Brittany giggles, leaning back into Santana’s front. 

“Very true,” Santana hums and nuzzles into Brittany’s cheek from behind, feeling Brittany’s skin against hers.

“Does it feel like I have a fever?” Brittany asks as she cocks her into Santana’s cheek, still whisking some flour and egg for her baking project. 

“No fever,” Santana mumbles and pushes up against Brittany from behind, holding her close. “You feel perfect.” 

“You always say that.”

“It’s always true.”

Santana’s hand gets a mind of its own as it dips beneath the hem of Brittany’s sweatshirt to find the smooth skin and Brittany’s abs. “San,” Brittany warns, pausing her whisking momentarily. “I wanted to make banana bread.”

(Santana wants to say: fuck banana bread. But she doesn’t.) 

She resorts to sucking on Brittany’s neck lightly and tickling her abs with one hand, while her other hand draws little patterns on Brittany’s hip, grazing her butt.

“Make it tomorrow,” Santana whispers into Brittany’s ear, and smiles smugly when Brittany’s breath hitches and she stops focusing on the bowl of flour in front of her. 

Success tastes so good.

Brittany tastes so good.

(Better than banana bread, probably)

When she has Brittany panting her name (for the second time that day) against the counter, she whispers into Brittany’s ear that Brittany feels perfect again. Brittany laughs a satisfied chuckle. “You always say that.”

Santana wraps her arms around Brittany tightly and rests her sweaty forehead against Brittany’s chest, feeling Brittany’s heartbeat thumping strongly.

“It’s always true.”

* * *

They spend the next two weeks checking temperatures and making sure neither one of them have symptoms. Brittany obsessively calls Hannah to make sure she’s okay, and to her relief she has been doing fine. 

One day Brittany has a little cough and Santana has her father on the phone in under 10 seconds. She makes Brittany get a telehealth appointment with her own doctor as well. When Brittany tries to explain that it was just a tickle in her throat, Santana uses her lawyer voice to demand that Brittany gets tested.

She does and Santana is on edge for three days straight. She anxiously watches her girlfriend sleep for any sign of shortness of breath and checks her temperature every single hour. She barely lets Brittany out of the bedroom. 

“Santana,” Brittany says sternly sitting up in the bed after Santana was feeling her neck for a fever for the fifth time that morning. And because Brittany never called her by her full name unless it was serious, and because her voice was sharp: Santana stops her hand and pulls back.

“What’s wrong? Are you okay? Do you feel sick?” Santana rushes it out so quickly that Brittany grabs her hands to stop them from the movements she didn’t even know she was making. 

“I am fine. I have been fine. You need to stop.” Brittany says it slowly and seriously and Santana feels some of her nerves ease, but she can’t stop from worrying. “Go to the other room and go on your meeting calls. My results will be back today and they will tell you I’m fine. But you need to stop freaking out.”

Santana knows she’s right. (Because Brittany’s always right). She knows she has been insufferable and driving Brittany crazy. But she can’t help it. She has the most perfect person in the world in front of her and the idea of something even being remotely wrong with Brittany is the scariest thought she never knew she could experience. 

“I just-” Santana starts but a finger is put on her lips.

“I know.”

“You just-” The hand is cupping her chin.

“I know.”

Santana takes a breath in and looks Brittany in the eyes. Brittany’s okay. Her blue eyes tell her so. (God, she loves those eyes.)

“Go to work,” Brittany whispers it lovingly and puts her hand on Santana’s cheek; Santana immediately leaning in to the touch. 

“You’ll come get me when the results come in?” Santana can barely recognize her own voice. It’s like a squeak mixed with a tremble, and she doesn’t even know how Brittany can understand her question.

“I will run all the way across the hallway and get you,” Brittany says it jokingly, but Santana knows she means every single word.    
Santana kisses the palm of Brittany’s hand. Then places a chaste kiss on Brittany’s lips. Then she moves to her forehead. She kisses her, but she also sighs through her nose when she can feel the temperature.

(Still no fever.)

She makes the short walk to the other bedroom to get on her Zoom calls. 

Santana takes a look at her new work-from-home space in the second bedroom.

They got a two bedroom because they thought they would need the storage space. (Well, that’s how Santana justified it.) But then their realtor said the previous tenants used the second bedroom as a nursery. 

Santana’s heart caught in her throat, but Brittany grinned and just politely said, “That’s nice.”    
Santana didn’t miss Brittany’s smile and the way her eyes looked around the space excitedly, though. She didn’t miss the way Brittany squeezed her hand and gave her a wink. 

When Santana’s breathing evened and the realtor started talking about the tiling in the bathroom: she looked in the empty room. She imagined a crib in the room and paintings of animals on the walls. And in the quiet she swore she could hear the sound of a baby quietly fussing.

A nursery would be nice eventually. 

(It’s more than nice actually.) 

It’s a fucking perfect picture.

For the last six months they have used the second bedroom for storage, as planned. But, in her head Santana always called it the nursery. (Because that’s what it was meant for.)

It was there for all the future plans she had. It wasn’t there to be her office, and yet here she was, working in a room that had some pictures of flowers and the skyline that Brittany took. Her desk was where the crib would go, and in the corner, where the changing table was supposed to be, were boxes of clothes that Brittany was planning on donating at some point. 

The nursery, like everything else in the world, would have to wait.

Santana’s not a religious person. She grew up in a church with her family, so she believes in something. She just doesn’t label it. She can’t remember the last time she actually said a prayer. But as she sits at her computer waiting for the meeting to start, (and simultaneously waiting for her future with all of the plans she had wrapped up in this room to start), she can’t help the silent plea in her head.    
_ Please be okay, please be okay, please be okay. _

It must have been a few hours later, Santana managed to distract herself in calls to her clients and business talk with Quinn. But Brittany eventually was standing at the doorway and politely cleared her throat to let Santana know she was there. Santana whips the chair around so fast that she almost loses her balance. And Brittany is just there, leaning against the door frame with her phone in her hands, hair in a messy bun, looking like someone who has been locked in her house for far too long. (She’s beautiful to Santana. Exactly how she is at this moment.)

“The results?” Santana swallows the lump in her throat and gets up from the desk. She stands in front of Brittany and puts her hands on Brittany’s waist. The silent plea entering her mind again

_ Please be okay, please be okay, please be okay. _

Santana knows she didn’t say it out loud, but because Brittany just knows Santana she read her mind. She pulls Santana into a tight embrace and Santana breathes in that scent and warmth that is just so...Brittany. 

“I’m okay,” Brittany mumbles into Santana’s neck, and Santana feels all of the stress and air she had been holding in for the last few days just float away. She squeezes Brittany tighter.

“You’re more than okay.” Santana places kisses to Brittany’s neck and loses herself in the feel of Brittany. She loses herself in the giggles escaping Brittany’s mouth that her kisses are causing. She loses herself in the feeling of Brittany’s fingers running through the hair on the back of her neck. It’s all too much, but the only thing she can think of is: Brittany is okay. Brittany is safe. Brittany is perfect.

“Don’t you have work to do?” Brittany asks through a throaty giggle as she leans away from Santana and back against the door frame.

“I did enough work.”

“Great, we can make banana bread finally,” Brittany grins, but is stopped by Santana grabbing her hip and pulling her close.

“No banana bread. I want to celebrate now,” She hums against Brittany’s skin as her lips find the spot by Brittany’s ear that always elicits Santana’s favorite moan from Brittany. 

“I like the sound of that,” Brittany whispers and starts pulling Santana out of the room. “Not in your office though.”

_ Your office.  _

Santana hates the sound of it, and she wonders if Brittany hates it too.

She looks over her shoulder at the room as she’s being dragged by the hand across the hall to their bedroom by a needy Brittany.

It’s not her office. It’s the nursery. It always has been. And it’s not until the possibility of Brittany not being okay even for just a second that she knew how much she needed that crib and the animals on the wall and the sounds of a baby crying to come from that room. 

She can’t wait until the day she doesn’t need that room to work from home and it can just be the place for her family. 

Maybe it’s the overwhelming thoughts in her mind, but Brittany is pushing her down on the bed and staring down at her with so much more than want and need: it’s love and it’s affection and it’s everything good in this miserable world. And everything she wants for her future and for her family. 

Brittany is okay. (The world is scary and might be ending, but Brittany is okay.) And maybe if they can just get through this craziness the office will be a nursery...eventually.

She pulls Brittany down by the collar of her shirt and tries to tell her everything she can’t say out loud yet. When she pulls away she can feel the words forming in her throat, even though she’s not quite sure what she wants to say. But Brittany is kissing her again and whispering “Shh, we’re making banana bread now.”

And her clothes are being stripped and Brittany is tracing kisses down her body to work that magic between her thighs. 

(The nursery could wait a little while longer.)


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: This was supposed to be a one-shot, but it ended up being a lot more fun to write than I thought. So it'll be a few chapters. Hope you enjoy it!  
> CW: COVID-19, pandemic, quarantine, BLM

A few weeks later, and several Brittany baking experiments later, and the two have gotten into a routine of quarantine. The days of the week are beginning to blend together. It's a Tuesday, or maybe a Thursday, and they are on their nightly stroll. Brittany's hand fits so perfectly in hers that Santana can't help the smile on her face as she tries to remember a time or place when Brittany's hand wasn't in hers.

She can't see Brittany's smile, because they are both sporting black masks, but she can tell by the way the blues eyes are just slightly squinting that Brittany is smiling too.

New York City is quiet, and the new normal of barren streets and closed stores are all around them. It's weird. And maybe if she were by herself; Santana would be really anxious about it. But with Brittany next to her, she just enjoys the fresh air, the quiet, and their new routine.

One thing they found in their neighborhood during one of these strolls, was an animal shelter that neither one of them even knew existed. Brittany, (because of course she would be), naturally was obsessed with it. Despite the circumstances, the shelter was still open and they would catch glimpses through the window of different dogs and cats in there. Some nights they got lucky and would see one of the volunteers walking some of the dogs. Those were Brittany's favorite nights. (They were Santana's favorite nights too, just for the sight of Brittany jumping up and down with excitement.)

When they get outside of the shelter and see a few dogs coming outside for their nightly walk, Santana is being dragged to go see them. There's a little puppy they have seen outside a few times that Brittany loves. He's a little mixed breed with sandy colored fur and as Santana pointed out "He looks like he's seen some shit." Brittany is immediately on the ground and asking the volunteer if it is okay if she pets him. She gets a nod and Brittany is picking the little dog up and ruffling the fur on his head.

"Look at him San, he's so cute," Brittany coos, and Santana crouches down next to them and pets him.

"He is, babe. A little scrappy looking, but cute," Santana says as she pets the dog and can't help the way her heart swells at the sight of her girlfriend snuggling the dog.

They spend a few minutes petting him and then the dog walker is getting impatient and Santana has to drag Brittany away back to their apartment. Santana can feel Brittany's excitement radiating next to her, with their arms linked together as they walk.

"I like our walks," Brittany says as they get closer to their apartment.

"Me too. It's nice getting out of the apartment." Santana agrees, enjoying the fact that there are only a few other people walking on their normally crowded sidewalk.

"We should keep doing this, even when there's no pandemic happening," Brittany says it so innocently that Santana almost wants to stop everything she's doing and kiss Brittany right there. But instead she just smiles and gives the blondes arm a little squeeze. And while a large part of her wishes there was no pandemic, and that this whole thing would end soon. Another part of her is enjoying the quiet, the strolls, the fact that they found an animal shelter, the moments when the outside world disappears and it's just them and their quarantined cocoon.

"Yeah, we should." Santana says it like it's a promise, because it is.

(Because every moment with Brittany is a promise.)

* * *

They are into May and Brittany is starting doing virtual dance classes out in their living room. She tells Santana it's to stay active and keep her dancing skills in check, but Santana knows it's also due to the fact that Brittany is starting to get stir crazy. Santana notices it in the way that Brittany is starting to binge Netflix shows, or calling her parents every day when it was normally just a weekly check in. Brittany has never been one to sit around and be lazy. (Unless cuddles were involved. Or sexy times. Or times when Santana could convince her to stay still...but that usually involved sexy times.)

Santana realized this early in their relationship when the blonde would have plans for them every single weekend. Given Brittany's work in the industry, they were always going to concerts and shows, and performances. She was introduced to a whole new world of people, that were so different from Santana's law school and work friends.

Santana's world was facts and numbers and legal talk. Brittany's world was rhythm and music and creation.

When they started meshing their worlds together Santana started to learn more about the New York City arts scene than she ever thought possible. Despite their differences though, Brittany always wanted to hear about Santana's cases. Brittany even wowed the partners at the law firm Christmas party a year ago when she started inquiring about different contracts they were working on for various businesses. (Santana grinned like an idiot for the rest of the night, causing Quinn to mercilessly mock her.)

They balanced each other out perfectly though, as all their friends had pointed out to them repeatedly.

When Santana was drowning in paperwork and legal terms, Brittany would drag her to a show at Lincoln Center to relax her. When Brittany would get last minute calls to perform for an artist or in a show, Santana would read through her contracts to make sure Brittany's interests were always protected.

When Santana would get stuck on the facts and the numbers, Brittany would turn on a Whitney Houston song and make her dance with her in their living room. When Brittany would sometimes get confused about job related decisions or not know what to do, Santana would break things down for her into pros and cons lists.

They were the perfect match in every way. A match made long before Santana even had met Brittany. (Destiny or fate conspired to ensure they were put together.)

It only made sense that they were together. They were made for each other. The perfect balance.

And that's what they were doing currently. Balancing each other out.

Brittany finishes up her virtual dance class she just hosted, and Santana sits at their kitchen counter pouring over one of her clients new contracts. Brittany walks in, chugging from her water bottle and gives Santana a sloppy kiss. "Hey sexy."

"Britt," Santana groans and uncharacteristically leans away from Brittany. "I like you sweaty, but not that kind of sweaty."

Brittany rests her head on Santana's shoulder, peering over at her paperwork. "We can always shower off together. You like that too." She whispers seductively into Santana's ear and Santana feels like having a heart attack right there. Before she can respond Brittany moves and is on to the next topic, like she just asked Santana about the weather. "What do you want for dinner? Want to order a pizza or something? I can go and pick it up while you finish your paperwork."

Santana moves her eyeglasses off of her head, feeling her head pound from the stress of staring at the same contract for too many hours. "Why don't you just do contactless delivery from somewhere? Then you can stay and you'll be safer."

"Because if I stay here while you're looking all sexy lawyer then there will be no dinner and the only thing I'll be eating is you," Brittany says it so matter of factly, while Santana's eyes bug out of her head like a cartoon character.

"Fair enough," Santana replies, swallowing hard.

"I'm going to grab a shower and then I'll order," Brittany gives Santana a kiss on the cheek and skips off to the bathroom while Santana puts her glasses back on and heads back to work.

Brittany comes back out a little while later, with jeans and a loose t-shirt on. The second Brittany enters the kitchen, Santana can smell the lotion that Brittany always uses and never fails to distract Santana. Brittany is pulling Santana's face up from her paperwork to give her a quick kiss. "Don't keep staring at the same contract for hours, you're going to give yourself a migraine," Brittany says sternly, running a finger over Santana's brow.

"You know me too well," Santana whispers, leaning into Brittany's touch.

"I know, it's my favorite part," Brittany smiles and then leans in to give Santana another kiss. "Be back in a few," Brittany whispers against Santana's lips.

"Be safe, please," Santana replies.

"Always," Brittany winks, and as quick as she enters the kitchen she's out their front door. Santana stares at their door with a goofy grin on her face that Brittany always seems to leave her with.

When Brittany comes back to the apartment a half hour later, Santana immediately notices the shift in her girlfriend. The first sign is she doesn't greet Santana with her usual "Baby I'm home" in her addicting sing song voice. The second is that Santana doesn't get her usual kiss on the cheek or the lips when Brittany enters the kitchen. (Which causes a pathetic pout on Santana's face.)

Instead, Brittany drops the pizza box on the counter and is distractedly looking down at her phone. "Everything okay babe?" Santana asks as she pushes her papers away.

Brittany barely looks up from her phone before she mumbles, "What was that?"

"I asked if everything is okay. You seem a little distracted."

"Oh sorry," Brittany answers as she puts her phone on the counter. "I was texting Mike. He just told me that he and Tina are going to have to postpone their wedding." Brittany pouts and Santana frowns in return.

"I'm sorry sweetie. I know you were looking forward to that," Santana replies and hopes it's enough to take Brittany's pout away. "When's it postponed until?"

"A whole year away," The pout is still there, and if possible it's even more dramatic than normal.

"Well, it's better safe than sorry Britt," Santana tries to sound reassuring and Brittany just nods and goes about getting plates for both of them.

She's trying to read Brittany, who is usually so easy to read. But for whatever reason at this moment, Santana doesn't quite get why Brittany is so upset about her friend's wedding being postponed. Sure, Brittany had been excited about it. (Brittany also gets excited about getting new socks, so the bar is set pretty low.) She just figured it would be a wedding with a lot of Brittany's dancer friends, and those events were always a good time.

There was something Santana was missing. Maybe something happened at the pizza place. (One time Brittany was grumpy for several hours because a barista was rude to an old lady in front of her and Santana had to practically threaten to sue Starbucks to get her girlfriend out of her bad mood.)

Santana has her eyes glued to Brittany as she puts a slice of pizza in front of her. She watches closely as Brittany sits down across from her and Brittany sighs.

(Here it comes. Brittany's sighs were always the signal of something.)

"Guess it's a good thing we're not engaged, huh?" Brittany says it in a way that makes Santana quirk her eyebrow. Almost like Brittany wishes they had a wedding to cancel. Almost like she's jealous of Mike and Tina. Almost like she is trying to tell Santana she wants to be engaged, but just doesn't know how to say it.

Santana looks at Brittany carefully as she takes a bite of her pizza. She can respond a few ways. There is a part of her that wants to throw the pizza on the counter, get on her knees and propose right there. There's another part that just wants to ignore it because she feels like she's walking into a trap. Brittany doesn't usually play games or set traps, but this has CAUTION: DO NOT ENTER written all over it.

Brittany's question is just hanging out there in the universe and Santana can't just let it float there. Because Brittany isn't wrong to feel disappointment. Santana should have proposed to her months ago. Because Brittany and her have always been inevitable. There is no other option. It's what was always going to happen from the moment they realized how well they balanced each other out. (From the moment they first met, really.)

So despite her gut, and her desire to say "screw the pandemic and my plans: marry me now", she looks at Brittany sadly and avoids the flashing red lights and voice screaming IT'S A TRAP.

And just like Brittany, who said one thing and really meant the complete opposite, Santana does the same exact thing.

"Yeah Britt, I guess it is a good thing."

* * *

By the end of May, things were beginning to get tense: in the world and within the confines of their apartment. The city had officially been on lock down for two months. Brittany's virtual dance classes were not that frequent and she was getting antsy and constantly trying to find things to keep herself occupied, which ranged from YouTube tutorials, crafting, baking, and doing dance challenges on TikTok.

Santana, meanwhile, was still having meetings with clients and drafting contracts and negotiating for them. Despite not being in court or in the office, she felt busier than normal. (Or maybe she just is more frustrated with her work than normal.)

Their apartment seemed so big a few months ago, like they had all this space that there were endless options of how to utilize, but now Santana felt like the walls were caving in on her.

Normally, when Santana felt this stressed and overwhelmed she would take refuge in meeting up with Quinn or Mercedes for drinks, but now that was not an option. Now she is left to stew in her thoughts, with absolutely no space to escape.

On top of the personal stress, the city was experiencing a mandatory curfew due to the protests that were erupting throughout the city and country; demanding justice and that Black lives matter. Santana could barely listen to the news or go on social media without feeling the rage inside of her boil over. The meaningless death of people of color and her frustration with the world she is currently living in was making even simple tasks completely frustrate her.

It did not help that Brittany was a constant ray of sunshine and cloud of optimism. She even made Santana go with her to a peaceful protest, but once the police arrived and things started to get chaotic, Santana pulled Brittany out of the crowd and they left. (Can't even do things peacefully and fight for justice without it turning to shit, she grumbled for hours that night.)

It also didn't help that Santana felt like she was working on the wrong side of the law. She worked for a large firm and represented mostly white, male, wealthy business owners. She would sit on Zoom calls and have to fight every urge in her body to not roll her eyes.

Her patience with everything around her was running thin. She was sick of this stupid virus, sick of police brutality, sick of ignorance, sick of Zoom calls, sick of Governor Cuomo delivering more bad news every day, sick of her apartment, sick of her mom and dad calling her daily to make sure they were safe, sick of the worry that occupied the pit of her stomach constantly (definitely never sick of Brittany).

She is doing a good job at keeping her emotions in check. She manages to take deep breaths and accept that she has no control over the situation. (Well, at least she thought she was doing a good job).

All of her rage and frustration seems to hit its breaking point one day when she is in the middle of reviewing a subpoena with a client. It is a big client for the firm, he is one of the wealthiest men in the city, and Santana has to do everything in her power to not let it show how much she loathes him. He is condescending and just oozes with a "I voted for Trump" vibe."

She is in the middle of a Zoom conference call with him and another lawyer when she hears music loudly blasting from their living room. She takes a deep breath (keep your attitude in check, Lopez) and politely tells her client that she'll call him back shortly. Thankfully, her client is so self obsessed he barely notices anything and does not seem to mind the interruption. She gets off the Zoom call and gets up to see what is going on.

Brittany is in their living room in a tank top and spandex, attempting one of the latest TikTok challenges. (Okay maybe this part of Brittany she's getting a little sick of...maybe.)

"Can you turn it down in here?" Santana doesn't add 'please' because her patience is too far gone for politeness.

"Oh, sorry San," Brittany quickly paused the music. "Hannah and I are trying the Savage Challenge. Our last one got so many views!"

Santana wants to be happy for her, but she also does not understand how Brittany can give a shit about a stupid video when the world is falling apart around them. "That's nice Britt, but I have work I have to do." Her words are coming out short, and she knows her own breaking points well enough to know that she is treading on thin ice before she snaps.

"Why don't you stop for a little and come dance with me?" Brittany flirts, and normally Santana would drop everything and do exactly as Brittany says. Normally, Santana would be putty in Brittany's sexy hands. Normally, Santana would realize that in the grand scheme of things her client didn't matter. But they were not in normal times. The tension that had been building inside Santana for the last few weeks was beginning to stretch too thin, and about to snap...and suddenly their living room seemed very small and she could barely breathe.

"I can't just stop what I'm doing to dance, Brittany. I have shit I have to do," Santana is going into dangerous territory, and she can see the surprise in Brittany's face once the words come out. Santana knows she should stop, but once the words start spilling out of her it gets hard to control them. "Not all of us have time to screw around twerking to Beyonce. Some of us still have real jobs."

The second she says it she wants to take it back. The second she sees the hurt flash across Brittany's face she wishes she never opened her mouth at all. Her hand goes up to her mouth to cover it. (As if that will help now.)

"Britt I-"

"What did you just say?" Brittany interrupts her, and Santana knows she's in deep shit, by the quiet firm sound in Brittany's voice.

"I didn't mean it." Santana says it comically fast. She tries, but Brittany's already waving her off.

"Yes you did. You always mean what you say."

(Fuck, she hates how well Brittany knows her.)

And Brittany is right. Brittany regularly tells Santana that it is one of her favorite things: the fact that Santana is always honest, even to the point that it hurts.

"Okay, yes. But I didn't mean it how you think I did."

"So now I'm too stupid to understand what you're saying?" Brittany's rolling her eyes and firing back at Santana so quickly that Santana wants to just grab her and make her listen and take it all back.

"No that's not what I said," Santana feels exasperated, because this is spinning out of her control quickly. "Your job is obviously real," she starts, but Brittany stops her again.

"Just not as real as yours, right?" Brittany asks with her arms crossed.

Santana runs a hand through her hair. "That is not what I said," she groans, feeling like she's fighting a losing battle. "I just meant that you don't exactly have a lot of consistency with work right now. And someone has to pay the bills around here." She gestures to their apartment, trying to make some point that she is not even sure what the point is any more.

Regardless, it must not have been the right thing to say, because Brittany is rolling her eyes immediately. "Oh right, Santana to the rescue. Santana the breadwinner, and what I'm just your little housewife, sitting around making your dinner for you?"

Santana was beginning to lose her ability to stay calm. She had no idea how they got here, screaming at each other in the middle of the day, in the middle of their living room. But now she was in it. (And Santana has never been one to back down from a fight...even a pointless one.)

"Oh I'm so sorry, Brittany. Please go back to doing your Cardi B impression for the internet! Who needs rent money? Or you know what, why don't you learn a new cupcake recipe off of YouTube? That is so much more important than my client that is paying six figures for me to work for him," Santana spits it out so quickly, she didn't even know where it was all coming from.

"At least I enjoy my job," Brittany fires back.

"Oh believe me, I am completely aware," Santana says with a roll of her eyes. "Between the blasting music, and the endless phone calls with your dancers, and the videos, and you taking over this whole goddamn apartment. I am aware just how much fun you are having with all of this." She rambles on saying things she knows will agitate Brittany because now she is just (stupidly) looking for a fight.

"Wow, I sound like such a monster for you to have to be stuck in this apartment with for all of these months," Brittany throws back, sarcastically. "You don't seem to mind me being around when you can fuck me in the kitchen, though. So just so I'm clear, that type of fun and enjoyment is allowed, but only on your terms?"

If Santana wasn't so angry the way that Brittany cursed would completely turn her on. (There's no time for that right now though.)

"I just want to know the rules. I thought it was our apartment, but I guess I'm wrong. I guess, classic Santana, cannot deal with sharing something with another human being," Brittany finishes, holding her ground and staring at Santana.

"God, you always do this!" Santana yells back. "You twist my words and only hear what you want to hear. I never said it was my apartment. I never said you were a monster," Santana runs a shaky hand through her hair trying to get some semblance of control over the situation. "I mean, you do realize that there is a global pandemic happening and a lot of other bad shit happening out there? Some things are a little bit more important than you and what you want."

"You think I don't realize that? I'm reminded everyday that I have to sit around here in this stupid apartment, waiting for you to get off your stupid calls. Like, I'm some pathetic loser who just has to wait around for you. And lately when you are done with work you're just so goddamn grouchy you won't even let me touch you," Brittany yells back. "I guess now I understand you're just annoyed by everything I do."

"Stop putting words in my mouth!" Santana shouts so loud her throat hurts.

But Brittany isn't done, no this time she decides to go for the jugular. "No, really Santana, no wonder you're so happy we aren't engaged. When you clearly can't even stand living with me," Brittany says it bitterly, and Santana lets out a gasp that this is coming up again.

(Told you it was a trap.)

"Oh no, no, no." Santana forces it out, and in her mind she is also holding back screaming at herself. "You don't get to do that. You said it first!" (it's a very elementary school of her, but she could not help herself). "-and once again: I didn't mean it like you are taking it." She's moving closer to Brittany now, thinking maybe proximity will help de-escalate the situation. "You're twisting all of my words around and you're not being fair here," it comes out calmly. The first calm thing she has said in a few moments.

"Well, you mocking the fact that I basically have no job right now isn't exactly fair," Brittany says, holding her ground firmly.

Santana throws her arms up in the air, completely frustrated and screams into the room behind her. "I didn't say that at all!"

"You act like I'm happy I can't work and perform. Like this is some big fucking picnic for me. You're not exactly great to be trapped in here with either, you know," Brittany mumbles that last part, and Santana holds back the gasp.

"Oh, so now you're trapped? What happened to our love cocoon, or how happy you were to be stuck with me?" Santana imitates Brittany's lovey dovey voice, and she knows it's a low blow, but she can't stop herself. "Guess you really are happy we aren't engaged either. Right? Why would you want to be married to someone who you feel so trapped with?" She spits the word 'trapped' out so bitterly she almost loses her breath.

Santana knows she should just say she's sorry. She should say she takes it all back because she doesn't mean any of it. (And that's the truth.) She should grab Brittany and tell her that she knows how upset Brittany has been having to come up with dance routines just to keep herself focused on her craft. She should tell Brittany that when she's muted on Zoom calls she watches Brittany's TikTok videos repeatedly. She should tell Brittany she has been wanting to propose for months, but she wants it to be perfect and there's no jewelry stores open right now (and she can't propose without a ring, right?) She should tell Brittany that she knows Brittany just misses her friends and dancing and her family and eating out at restaurants. She should tell Brittany that she doesn't feel trapped at all, that she can only breathe when Brittany is in the room. She should tell Brittany that she's just overwhelmed because the world is falling apart and Brittany is the only thing that makes sense.

But she doesn't say any of that.

They just stare at each other for too many minutes. And before Santana knows what's happening Brittany is moving, grabbing her bag, and heading toward the front door.

"Where are you going?" Santana asks quickly, her voice changing and now laced with concern as she turns to grab Brittany by the arm.

Brittany shakes her arm out of Santana's grasp immediately. "I need to get out of this apartment."

"Britt, nothing is open right now," Santana sighs, all of the anger she just had evaporated. (There's nowhere to go.)

"I don't care, I feel like the walls are closing in on me in here," Brittany avoids looking at Santana, and Santana wants to say 'me too'.

"There are protests and a curfew," Santana comes out with more excuses, but she just wants to say 'don't leave'.

"I don't care, I just need to be away from you right now."

With that Santana drops her arm and takes a step back. A part of Santana knows that she deserves that, and that Brittany probably didn't mean it, especially by the way that Brittany bites her lip. (But it still hurts like hell to hear.)

Santana doesn't say anything: she just watches Brittany turn and open the door, pulling her mask on as she leaves.

Santana is left standing in their apartment. (Like an aftermath of a battleground.)

Their apartment used to feel so huge. But now, just like Brittany, she feels like the walls are caving in on her, and without Brittany there: she cannot breathe.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the love everyone! Hope you enjoy!

Santana's left in the battlefield that has become their apartment with nothing but her deep breathing and her thoughts. She decides to do what she does best in situations like this and tries to focus on her work. She goes back to calling her annoying client and walks him through a subpoena, but her mind is anywhere but the legal jargon she is trying to focus on. Instead, her mind is on the hurt in Brittany's eyes and the way Brittany said she felt trapped and the stupid hurtful things that came from her own mouth.

The two had fought before. Santana is a notorious hot head and Brittany, despite her sunny demeanor, has been known to get defensive quickly. Santana was not wrong when she said that Brittany twists her words sometimes. Sometimes it is funny when Brittany only hears what she wants to hear, but when she is using it to make Santana out to be the bad guy...that is when Santana draws the line.

They are both pretty stubborn and sometimes that gets in the way and leads to silly little fights. One time they got into a bickering match about Brittany leaving her toothpaste in the sink. Another time they screamed at each other when Santana had to cancel a date night for work. However, they always are quick to make up. (Usually involving hot kissing and very little clothing.)

So despite how heated the fight got, Santana figures that her girlfriend will come bursting through the door and they can apologize and have mind blowing sex. But her work day is coming to a close, and she's finishing up an email when she realizes it's nearly 4pm and she hasn't had mind blowing make up sex. Brittany has been gone for several hours and the knot in Santana's stomach begins to grow. She wants to text Brittany, but she can't think of what to type out so she tries to call instead.

"You've reached Brittany Pierce, please leave a mes-" Santana hangs up when she gets Brittany's voicemail. She takes her glasses off and rubs at her face furiously, trying to scrub away the entire horrible day.

It's another half hour and Santana starts to panic. She has called Brittany three more times and sent five text messages varying from a simple "Hey, where are you?" to a desperate "Please call me. Please."

She's pacing in their living room, (the scene of the crime), trying to make sense of how they got here. Stupid Mike Chang and his stupid wedding. (Obviously other things got them where they are, but she's going to blame it all on him right now.)  
That stupid conversation about how they aren't engaged yet, and Brittany who always has an issue using words when things scare her, not saying what she really wanted to say and stupid Santana falling for it.

She's racking her brain on all worst case scenarios of where Brittany could be, wringing her hands together when she figures out who to call. She grabs her phone quickly and waits for the familiar voice to answer.

"Well hello Satan, I was wondering when I'd be hearing from you," Mercedes' voice draws out.

"Is she with you?" Santana spits out quickly, not having time for Mercedes' games.

"You know, when I introduced you two, I was not expecting I would have to play relationship counselor for the rest of your lives."

"Cut the shit, Wheezy. Is she there?" Santana demands, not messing around, and Mercedes must realize she means business because she stops messing around..

"No, she Facetimed me a few hours ago, though," Mercedes finally answers. Santana releases a breath she didn't even realize she was holding. Brittany is okay.

"Where was she?" Santana asks when she realizes she still hasn't located her girlfriend.

"She didn't say. Outside somewhere though, obviously," Mercedes is trying to be nice, probably knowing Santana's tendency to panic. "What the fuck did you do to her this time?"

Santana wants to get defensive and shoot back that it's not always her fault. (But this time it probably is her fault.) "I said some stupid shit," Santana groans, not wanting to replay the horrible conversation. "She didn't tell you?" Santana can't help but be a little happy that Brittany didn't give Mercedes all the gory details.

"No, she was just sad it seemed. Kind of like a kicked puppy," Mercedes chuckles a little, but Santana's heart breaks at the thought. "She also said she was just getting really stir crazy in that apartment."

"Aren't we all?" Santana mumbles.

"Yeah, but you know how Britt is. She's a social butterfly, this quarantine is probably just wearing her down," Mercedes explains so matter of factly that Santana kicks herself for not being more attentive to her girlfriend.

"But I thought I was enough for her?" Santana doesn't mean to sound so pathetic (she just does).

"I'm sure you are babe. But you're not as outgoing as she is, and you have work to keep you busy. Brittany is used to seeing different people every day and performing in front of thousands regularly," Mercedes points out. "And you're great and all, but it's a big change from going to all of that to...just you."

Santana knew her friend was right.

"Plus if I had to deal with your pain in the ass self daily I would have ran out of there two months ago," Mercedes jokes and Santana rolls her eyes over the phone. "I don't know how that poor girl survived this long."

"You weren't complaining when we were roommates," Santana fires back.

"Oh I did, but I also could go out to other people's places and socialize, and get black out drunk whenever you were annoying me," Mercedes replies, and Santana can't help but miss her friend.

"Those were the days," Santana sighs. She pauses a second before she lets another wall down. "I want to marry her, Cedes."

"I know you do."

"But I fucked up."

"You did," Mercedes starts and Santana feels her heart drop out of her chest. "But if we all have learned anything during this god forsaken year it's that life is too damn short for stupid, petty shit."

Santana lets that sit and nods her head. "You're right." She says resolutely.

"Then go fix it."

"I don't know if I can," Santana sighs.

"You'll figure it out, you always do," Mercedes assures.

"Thanks Mercedes," Santana responds sincerely. "Britt and I both appreciate your relationship counseling," She jokes.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," and Santana can feel Mercedes rolling her eyes over the phone. "When you make up let's have some socially distanced drinks. That should cover my fee that you both owe."

"Will do," Santana laughs and the two hang up after saying goodbye.

Santana puts her phone down and decides to change out of her work clothes, knowing Mercedes was right and she has to fix it. She throws on comfortable jeans and a t-shirt with a zip up hoodie as she tries to figure out where to begin.

First, she has to find Brittany. Which, normally in the huge New York City, would be a really difficult task. Thanks to everything being shut down, Brittany has a limited amount of places to hide. Santana grabs her phone, her mask and her hand sanitizer and heads out on her mission.

She can't fix the state of the world. But she can fix her relationship, and that's all that matters.

* * *

Santana goes to all of her and Brittany's usual spots in their neighborhood: small parks, their favorite coffee shop. Even though all the bars are closed she even stops by them just to see if Brittany had gotten desperate. She debates calling Mike or Hannah. She pulls out her phone to try Brittany one last time, but then she notices the time: 6:15. This is usually when she and Brittany take their nightly stroll through their neighborhood. Santana sighs, but then it dawns on her.

Their nightly stroll.

She knows where Brittany is and she kicks herself that it wasn't the first place she went.

She isn't running, but she definitely is not walking slowly. She is slightly sweating and her legs are hurting her and her breathing is a little labored (stupid mask) by the time she reaches her destination. (Okay, maybe she is running.)

The second she gets to the block she sees the familiar blonde hair and long legs. Santana slows her steps as she gets closer.

Brittany does not even avert her eyes from where she is staring into a window but mumbles "Took you long enough."

Santana can't help but smile at Brittany sensing her presence without even looking, and that maybe Brittany sounds like she was waiting for her to show up this whole time. "Well, you know me," Santana says quietly as she stands next to Brittany, kicking a pebble on the sidewalk. "I've always been a little slow."

Brittany nods as she keeps looking inside the window, she crosses her arms and Santana catches the goosebumps on Brittany's skin. "You cold?" Santana asks and fights the urge to wrap her arms around Brittany to warm her up (and to feel close to her).

"Not really," Brittany replies, but Santana recognizes Brittany's stubbornness. Instead of replying back Santana unzips her hoodie and wraps it around Brittany's shoulders. Brittany immediately pulls the sweatshirt on and finally glances at Santana out of the side of her eyes and quietly says, "Thanks."

Santana just nods and watches as Brittany goes back to staring into the window. They are standing in silence for a few more moments before Santana finds some words. "Did they go on their usual walk yet?" She nods her head to inside and Brittany just shakes her head.

"No, I think I missed them. But if you look in you can see the little scrappy guy that we like. He's playing on the floor," Brittany gestures inside to the animal shelter. Santana finally takes a step closer to the window and narrows her eyes and there she sees the puppy they usually look forward to seeing inside playing with a ball on the floor with some bigger dogs.

Santana can't help the smile spreading across her face under her mask. "Look at him. He really does look scrappy in there fighting with the big dogs."

"He's like you," Brittany jokes, and Santana finally sees the signs of that smile she has been craving all day, despite Brittany's mask. She sees the crinkle by her eyes and her cheeks bunching up a little bit over the line of her mask.

"Yeah I guess I can be a little scrappy," Santana finally gives in to her temptation and playfully nudges into Brittany's side. "But you still love me," Santana swallows hard. "Right?"

Brittany breathes out loudly through her mouth and rolls her eyes, "You know I do." Brittany finally tears her eyes away from the window and turns to face Santana. Brittany's eyes are serious and Santana can see a hint of fear there as well as Brittany asks, "You still love me?"

"You know I do," Santana grins and grabs the zipper of the hoodie that Brittany is now wearing and pulls herself a step closer to her.

"San I-" Brittany starts, but Santana can't resist anymore and pulls hers and Brittany's mask down below their lips and kisses Brittany softly. Brittany sighs into the kiss and Santana feels all of the air reentering her body.

Santana pulls away and Brittany still has her eyes closed dreamily. "I need to go first," Santana says as she brushes her thumb over Brittany's lips and then pulls both of their masks up. Brittany opens her eyes and encourages Santana to talk. "I'm sorry, baby. I don't even know what came over me. I have just been so stressed lately, and upset about everything that is happening around us," Santana grabs Brittany's hands and is soothed by Brittany giving them a squeeze in return. "I just snapped, but it was never meant for you. I didn't mean any of that stuff about your dancing or your baking or any of it." She pauses seeing Brittany nod shyly. "You know that I think your job is real, don't you?"

"I know you do, San," Brittany replies calmly, and Santana can't be sure through the mask but she can feel a little smile directed at her.

"And that stuff about us not being engaged..." Santana continues but Brittany cuts her off.

"No. I never should have said that. That wasn't fair of me," Brittany quickly says, shaking her head, and Santana feels a little bit relieved.

"We both said things we shouldn't have," Santana concedes and then breathes in through her nose before she keeps going. "I love your dancing so much. I love your TikTok videos and how excited you get about your virtual classes," Brittany looks down, but Santana uses her hand to lift Brittany's chin back up to look at her. "I am so proud of you, did you know that? Getting to watch you perform daily is a gift, even if it is just in our apartment. And I know not performing and doing your regular dancing has been hard on you. I didn't mean to be insensitive to that." Santana can see the blush creeping into Brittany's face, but she keeps going. "I know I'm not the easiest to be trapped inside with." Brittany goes to say something, but Santana shakes her head. "It's hard for everyone. We used to spend a lot of time together, but we also used to be able to see other friends or work with other people. Now it's just you and me, all the time, 24/7," Santana shrugs the last part. "We're bound to get on each other's nerves a little bit."

"Can I go now?" Brittany asks shyly and Santana gives her a wink and squeezes her hand to encourage her to talk. "I didn't mean to say I felt trapped," Santana nods when Brittany pauses. A lot of words and explanations tend to overwhelm Brittany. She's better with showing how she feels, not telling. "I just…" Brittany pauses again and Santana waits patiently. "I just miss my dance friends, and performing with other people, and being able to hug people without feeling guilty or weird about it." Santana chuckles at that because Brittany is such a toucher with everyone. "I'm not trapped with you...I just-"

"Miss other people too," Santana finishes for her finally. "That's allowed, sweetie. You can be with me and still miss everything else in your life. I miss it all too."

Brittany nods and takes a breath in before she talks again. "I'm really proud of you too, you know?" Brittany says it so sweetly and sincerely that Santana just nods at the words. "You work so hard, and you're so smart, and I know at the end of the day you just want to help people." Santana can feel the blush on her cheeks. "I know you don't like some of your clients. But you're not a sell out or anything, San. You're so successful. And I'd be proud of you no matter what you did." Santana can feel some tears in her eyes that she didn't even know she was holding.

Brittany pauses for a bit, but Santana knows she's not done by the way she breathes in. "I'm sorry I got all crazy girlfriend about the engagement stuff. I didn't mean to force the issue like that," Brittany pauses again and Santana wants to wait to hear Brittany out before she says anything impulsive. Brittany looks down and Santana just lets her collect her thoughts. "I love you so much, San. And I know you love me too. But I guess I just get in my head about it sometimes. Like maybe it'll never happen for us? Like one day you'll wake up and realize you could do so much better," Santana wants to laugh because...how? (How could there ever be anyone better than Brittany in any universe.)

She lets Brittany finish though, as Brittany keeps avoiding Santana's eyes. "I mean you're this big shot, successful lawyer. You could be with a doctor or another lawyer or someone just as smart and important as you and I'm just a...dancer." And there are the insecurities that Santana never knew were there. And that is the nerve that Santana hit when she made a jab about Brittany's job. (Santana really can be a blind idiot sometimes.) "And now I'm an unemployed dancer at that." Brittany mumbles the last part and looks away like she is ashamed.

"Baby," Santana sighs out. "I could never even dream of anyone better than you. And you're not an unemployed dancer. You're a successful professional dancer. You can't control that this stupid pandemic has everything on hold. Even if this pandemic lasts forever and you never work again. I wouldn't want someone who has a boring job and makes a lot of money. I want someone who is creative and makes me dance to Britney Spears, and drags me to concerts and Broadway shows. I want someone who puts everything they have into a performance. I want someone who makes me think about art and music and takes walks with me and points out pretty flowers. I want you." She grabs Brittany by the cheeks to make sure Brittany maintains eye contact with her so that Brittany really hears it. "You're it for me." She says it slowly and then forcefully adds. "You're it for me forever." Santana can see the smile in Brittany's eyes and what looks like some unshed tears.

"Forever is a long time, San," Brittany sweetly whispers it, and Santana can feel the warmth radiating from the blonde and the smile under her mask.

"It is."

Brittany brushes a strand of hair behind Santana's ear and Santana leans into her touch. "What if we are under quarantine and stuck in the apartment together forever?"

"Sounds perfect," Santana immediately replies.

"Even if I make TikTok videos and bake cupcakes every day?" Brittany teases and bats her eyelashes.

Santana lets the laugh in her throat escape. "Even then, Britt. Cardi B videos and YouTube cupcakes forever," Santana jokes in reply.

Brittany pulls Santana into a tight hug and then whispers into her ear, "Can we go home to our love cocoon now?"

Santana's stomach flips. (She loves this woman so much.) She hums in response, squeezing Brittany closer, not wanting to let go, savoring the smell of Brittany's shampoo and the feel of Brittany in her arms. The thought of going back to her apartment with Brittany brings her so much joy (and excitement because: make up sex). She breathes in deeply, relief washing over her, and thankful they found this animal shelter all those months ago. And that's is when it hits her.

Brittany is quickly grabbing her hands and pulling her to start walking with her, but Santana stays rooted at her spot in front of the shelter, an idea coming to her right in that moment that she can't quite shake. Brittany cocks her head to the side adorably when Santana has not moved from her spot. "San?"

"I was thinking about the little scrappy guy in there," Santana gestures through the window of the animal shelter.

"What about him?" Brittany asks.

"What if we adopt him?" Santana expectantly asks, not knowing how it will go. Her and Brittany never even mentioned getting a pet before, but something about their conversation, and seeing how much joy the little dog brings Brittany every time they see him, she just can't shake the thought of it.

Brittany is surprised and her eyes go wide, but through the mask Santana can tell she has a huge goofy smile on her face. "Really?"

"Really," Santana nods.

"Where did this come from?" Brittany asks, a little anxious.

Santana notices and grabs one of Brittany's hands. "Well we walk by here a lot ever since quarantine...And he's kind of stuck in there too, and I guess I kind of feel bad for the little guy," Santana shrugs. "Plus, maybe it will give us something to focus on when the pandemic and the craziness gets to be too much." Brittany practically jumps on top of her and is kissing her cheeks through her mask and Santana has to try not to laugh too much..

"We can have a dog in our apartment right?" Brittany stops her assault on Santana's face as she asks seriously.

Santana shrugs, "I think so. I'll talk to the landlord tomorrow morning. I'll work it out."

And that's all the assurance Brittany must need because she's back to jumping up and down and Santana can't help the joy that is oozing out of her at the sight.

"I love you, I love you, I love you," Brittany mumbles as she keeps kissing Santana's cheek.

Santana grabs Brittany around the waist pulling Brittany into her hoping to calm her girlfriend down, "I know you do. And I love you, I love you, I love you right back." They give each other a little kiss through their masks, and this time Santana is the one pulling Brittany away from the shelter and toward their apartment. "We'll come back tomorrow," Santana assures, knowing Brittany has started to pout. "Let's go back to the love cocoon now."

"I can't wait to show you how happy I am," Brittany whispers seductively into Santana's ear, and Santana feels the chill it sends down her spine and cartoonishly gulps.

(Make up sex with Brittany really was the best.)

"What are we going to name our new puppy?" Santana asks a little while later as they keep walking to the apartment, their arms linked together, Santana never wanting to let go.

"Scrappy," Brittany replies instantly with zero hesitation.

"Babe, I was joking when I called him that. I was just calling him scrappy because that's how he looks. Like a scrappy little street fighter going after bigger dogs all the time," Santana narrows her eyes, because sometimes Brittany can be a little quirky and she's not sure if Brittany is being serious.

(But she should know better, because Brittany is always serious about animals.)

"That's why it's the perfect name for him. Little Scraps. Scrappy Lopez-Pierce," Brittany says it so surely, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Lopez-Pierce, huh?" Santana asks, bringing her fingers to intertwine with Brittany's.

Brittany winks at her and squeezes her hand. "Sounds good right?"

Santana said it in her head and it was like her fairy tale was coming true right before her very eyes. She could see it so clearly, right there in front of her: a not so distant future when they all had the same last name.

 _Lopez-Pierce_.

"Sounds perfect."

* * *

Brittany's naked body is rolling off of her a few hours later; both of them heavily breathing in their bed. "Jesus, Britt," Santana breathes and grabs her chest. Her girlfriend just gave her back to back orgasms and her body feels so good, but completely worn out. Brittany rolls on her side and runs a finger down Santana's chest to her belly button and back up, giving Santana goosebumps. (This girl just never quit.) The second they walked into their apartment this evening Brittany was ravaging her. Her shirt had gotten discarded somewhere near the door, she was shoved up against a wall when her pants were taken off, and she doesn't even remember where her underwear is right now. Santana gladly gave up all control though, because there wasn't anything sexier than a dominant Brittany.

"Give me a minute and I'll return the favor," Santana says, still trying to catch her breath.

"I can wait," Brittany breathes into Santana's ear, sucking on the lobe a little bit, turning Santana on immediately. "Forever."

Santana loves that word. (Especially coming from Brittany's lips.) "I won't make you wait forever," Santana grins back.

Brittany's fingers start drawing patterns on Santana's stomach and she starts to kiss Santana's neck again. "Babe," Santana moans out. "You're killing me," Santana's trying to make Brittany stop so she can make Brittany feel just as good as she is feeling right now, but she also is loving the way that Brittany is making her feel, and she knows that once Brittany gets started she is impossible to stop.

"I'm just so excited about Scrappy," Brittany giggles, and Santana loses her breath all over again at the addicting sound of Brittany's giggling.

Santana uses the opportunity of Brittany being a little distracted to muster more energy to push Brittany down on the bed and rolls on top of her. "Little Scraps is the only thing you're happy about?" Santana muses as she starts to trail kisses down Brittany's neck and brings a hand to cusp one of Brittany's breasts. She smirks into Brittany's skin when she can feel Brittany's breath hitch.

"I'm happy about us too," Brittany hums and when Santana starts to suck on one of her nipples she gasps. "Very happy," Brittany moans.

Santana brings one of her hands down to Brittany's core and when she feels the wetness she laughs a bit, "I can tell," Brittany's hands are at the back of Santana's head her nails lightly scratching the back of Santana's head and pulling Santana into her breast more, and Santana obliges, running a tongue across Brittany's right nipple and then dragging her tongue across to Brittany's other breast. Santana blindly finds Brittany's clit and begins to rub circles; Brittany's moans begin to fill the room.

As Santana continues her hand movements, Brittany is pulling Santana up by the face to kiss Santana hard and sloppily. Santana can feel Brittany get closer, and she inserts two fingers inside of Brittany, getting another gasp from the blonde as she throws her head back on the pillow. It is Santana's favorite sight, when Brittany starts to lose control and just gives herself completely to Santana.

She can feel Brittany clenching around her fingers and her thumb goes back to Brittany's clit. Brittany grabs Santana's face and brings their foreheads together. Whenever Brittany is about to cum, she loves to look into Santana's eyes as much as possible. Santana used to hate eye contact, it freaked her out, but now (with Brittany) she loves it. "Let go for me baby," Santana whispers and kisses Brittany softly and Brittany's release quickly follows.

Their foreheads are pressed together for several moments, both of them getting lost in each other's eyes, and Brittany whispers, "I love you so much." Santana removes her fingers from Brittany who whimpers at the loss. Santana kisses Brittany again before bringing her wet fingers to her lips and licking them in front of Brittany who moans at the sight.

"I love you too," Santana uses her other hand to brush stray blonde hair out Brittany's face, "You're beautiful." These were Santana's favorite moments. (They all were her favorite moments.) The quiet of just the two of them, both breathing heavy, their hearts pounding. She loved it so much she brought her hand down to Brittany's heart where she could see it pulsing under the fair skin of her chest. Santana brings her lips down to kiss it gently. "Forever."

Brittany hums in response and brings Santana's head back up to hers. "We should fight more often," Brittany jokes and Santana uses a free hand to tickle Brittany's side as a punishment for the joke. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding," Brittany says through her laughter.

Santana's grinning though, because Brittany's laughter is the most magical sound in the world.

She can feel her arms getting tired and catches Brittany trying to stifle a yawn, so she takes the hint and rolls off of Brittany and opens her arms up for the blonde to snuggle into her naked chest. They lay like that for a while, Santana tracing patterns across Brittany's bare back, and Brittany doing the same on one of Santana's arms. She can tell Brittany isn't asleep yet, but the stress and exhaustion of the day is hitting both of them. She feels like she still has more to say to Brittany, more to apologize for, more to fix (a puppy can't fix everything after all). But, as if she can read Santana's mind, Brittany finds her hand in the darkness and intertwines their fingers, assuring Santana without words that they are okay. Santana squeezes back and sighs peacefully.

"It's really scary out there," Brittany says it quietly into the darkness of their bedroom, and Santana instinctively holds her tighter. "It almost feels selfish to be this happy."

Santana knows what Brittany means. Earlier today she felt like the walls of their apartment were caving in on her, and now all she wanted to do was stay wrapped up inside with Brittany for as long as possible, because she could finally breathe.

Mercedes' words from earlier replay in her mind and she places a kiss to the top of Brittany's head. "Life's too short to not be this happy."

She's not sure if she's assuring herself or Brittany. (But either way it feels good to say it out loud.) Because it is true. The world is not safe for anyone right now. Nothing is promised to anyone. Life really is too short. Everything she ever knew to be real and everything that she experienced outside of these four walls seemed to be crumbling into so much uncertainty.

But here? Right now? In the safety of their four walls? None of that uncertainty matters.

Their legs are tangled up together under the blanket, Santana is holding Brittany tightly just because she can and she knows one thing: this is the only real and certain thing she needs in her life. Forever.

(Even if the pandemic lasts forever.)

And that is the promise she mumbles as she drifts to sleep, feeling Brittany's heart beating under her fingertips.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks all for the love! I appreciate all the reviews. If you want to follow me on tumblr you can find me @ im-nora-ephron-bitch  
> Probably a chapter or two left...maybe more? We'll see how the inspiration strikes. Feel free to leave a comment/review.

The next day Santana is contacting their landlord and getting the approval for the dog. (She only had to use her lawyer voice once, thankfully.) Brittany is thrilled, obviously. A few hours later they are going to the shelter and seeing what the next steps they will have to take in order to adopt Scrappy. (Yes, Santana is already calling him Scrappy.)

Santana learns that day that adopting a dog is a lot more complicated than it ever seems in movies or TV shows. There are interviews and paperwork and she would not be surprised if they didn't have to submit a drug test at this point. Brittany is impatient and Santana has to put her hand on the small of her girlfriends back several times in the shelter, rubbing the soothing circles that always seem to put Brittany at ease.

They have to wait a few days for approval (but they will obviously be approved, Santana would not accept another outcome) and that does not stop Santana from sending Quinn and Mercedes pictures of their adorable new addition. She is mocked mercilessly from her two friends, especially Quinn. But it doesn't matter.

What does matter is the way that the tension that was in the apartment the last few weeks is replaced with excitement. Brittany is practically vibrating with energy about it, and Santana has to hold her still for some moments just to keep her from bouncing off the walls.

It is a Friday when they get the call that they can go pick up Scrappy. They have to sign their names and he gets a little certificate with his name, Brittany insisting "Lopez-Pierce" is written out. "It's his full name," Brittany says seriously to the shelter employee who just does as she is told.

The puppy is brought out and Brittany holds him in her arms like he is the most precious thing in the world. She holds him up to Santana who doesn't even fight the grin on her face. "Welcome to the family, Scraps," Santana says proudly as she leans over and pats him on the head.

They put him in the carrying case they brought to bring him back to their apartment, Brittany making sure he was okay the whole time. "We should get him his own little mask," Brittany says as they make their way to their apartment.

"I don't think dogs need masks, babe," Santana laughs, lugging the case a little bit, before Brittany finally notices her struggle and helps out. He is not a heavy dog but they still have 5 city blocks to walk.

"I just want him to be safe," Brittany replies. "He's just a little guy. Aren't you Scrappy?" Brittany talks down through the little whole that the puppy is looking up in. "Don't worry me and Mommy will take good care of you."

 _Mommy_.

Santana almost drops the carrier at the sound of it. But not from fear or panic. Just at how goddamn amazing it sounds.

"Scraps you tell your mom you're a tough little shit," Santana jokes and Brittany is shooting her a glare immediately.

"Don't call our baby a little shit, San," Brittany starts scolding. "He's going to grow up with a complex and the world is harsh enough right now," Brittany says it seriously, and Santana just smiles and shakes her head.

"My bad, babe."

"Tell Little Scrappy-Doo you're sorry," Brittany bats her eyelashes at Santana, and Santana melts. (God, she's helpless.)

"You and the nicknames already," Santana jokes, but she complies and looks down at the little puppy in the carrier. "I'm sorry Scrappy. You are not a little shit."

Santana can tell by the sparkle in Brittany's eye that she's satisfied.

They spend the evening playing with Scrappy as he gets acquainted with their apartment. They show him all of the toys that they bought for him and he seems to be more excited about a piece of paper than any of the squeaky toys.

"Look at Lamb Chop, Scraps," Brittany puts the squeaky stuffed animal in front of the little dog as she sits cross legged on the floor with him. "Don't you want to play with your new toys?"

"He's probably just overwhelmed babe," Santana says from her spot on the floor next to Brittany. "Just give him some time." At the sound of Santana's voice Scrappy heads over to Santana and jumps into her lap, giving her a little lick on the face.

"Aww, he loves you!" Brittany coos and Santana picks up the little dog and puts him back on the floor. "I like licking Mommy's face too, Scrappy-Doo," Brittany says to the puppy as he wags his tail when Brittany scratches him behind the ears.

"No boys allowed up in this, Scrap," Santana says. "Sorry little guy."

"You're the best boy in the whole wide world," Brittany says, giving him kisses on the face.

"Can't believe I'm losing all my kisses to a dog," Santana grumbles. (But Santana isn't actually mad, how could she be?) Brittany is too busy cuddling with the dog to pay attention, and Santana could not be happier at the sight.

"Isn't this the best, San?"

"The best, babe."

And it was. Pandemic and all. This, her growing family, gave her the best feeling in the whole wide world.

* * *

The rest of May and June are spent playing with Scrappy, nightly walks, TikTok challenges and virtual dance classes (for Brittany), Scrappy insisting on an early morning pee (which Santana got stuck doing every day). The city had opened up outdoor dining, and so they would do brunch together, a lot of places letting them bring Scrappy with them, which Brittany loved. (Santana loved bringing their boy too, obviously). They would meet up with Mercedes for socially distanced drinks or picnics in the park. They even insisted Quinn leave her condo on the Upper West Side to come meet Scrappy in Central Park one day. Santana loved every minute of showing off her happy girlfriend and adorable puppy, not caring for a second that she lost all tough points.

The world was still a mess. Things were slowly opening up, and the rates in New York City were on the decline. COVID-19 tests are now easier to get. They call their parents regularly to make sure they all are being safe. Overall, things seemed to be going better, all is right in the world. (Despite the world still feeling like it was ending.)

Santana is still working from home, and all of Brittany's performances are still postponed. They both realize they're fortunate to still be able to make money and have a steady income. Masks are still the requirement everywhere they go. But despite all of that, Scrappy is keeping them entertained and distracted.

In a few weeks they normally would be heading out to California to see Brittany's family. It is what they had done the last two years. The first time Brittany had asked Santana to go with her, two years ago, Santana panicked. She knew it was a big step, and she knew how close Brittany is to her family. The whole thing was completely panic inducing and new territory for her. But once she met the Pierce's, and saw the amazing people who raised Brittany, she felt completely at ease. They welcomed her into the family with open arms, and the whole experience made Santana love her girlfriend that much more.

Santana had come to look forward to the trip, but this year (like everything else it seems) they had to cancel their trip, not wanting to take any chances with anyone's health. Brittany is upset for about 30 minutes, before she admits to being really relieved that they wouldn't have to find Scrappy a place to stay while they were away.

Santana knows Brittany is still a little upset though, so she surprises Brittany one morning and announces that she called out of work for the day. Brittany is confused for a few moments, but then Santana announces that she is borrowing Quinn's car and is taking her and Scrappy to Asbury Park for the day to go to the beach.

Brittany loves the beach, always saying it reminds her of home, and immediately rolls on top of Santana and kisses her repeatedly. "Babe," Santana laughs. "If you keep that up we aren't going to leave this bed at all."

Brittany shoots off of her, "You're right, we need to get ready and get Scraps ready."

As if on cue, Scrappy is scratching at their door for his morning bathroom break. Santana groans and starts to pull on her shorts and Brittany is getting up to go to the bathroom, "Be sure he goes number two, baby, so we don't have to stop on the way," Brittany says cheerily, but Santana is grumbling.

She opens the door and sees Scrappy patiently waiting at the door. "Hey little shit," she whispers as she bends down and gives him a little scratch on the head. "Let's go before Mommy B tries to put a bathing suit on you or something." She grabs his leash and her mask and they head down to the street for their morning routine.

They walk down the block towards their local coffee shop, Scrappy stopping at every little tree or plant to lift his leg. "Alright Scraps, do your business," Santana urges, but the little dog must take after Brittany because he takes his sweet little time with everything. He finds his usual small patch of grass and takes his squatting position, Santana turning her head to give him some privacy. As soon as he's finished he is wagging his tail and Santana pulls the baggie in her pocket out to pick up after him and throw it in a nearby trash can. He then is pulling Santana to the coffee shop.

The Coffee Bean has a side window now, to prevent people from entering. She sees the familiar barista at the window who is pouring her usual order as soon as she gets close. "Hey Finn," Santana waves, Scrappy wagging his tail excitedly.

"Hey Santana," Finn says cheerily with his multi colored mask on. Every day he has a different mask on that Santana has started to forget what his smile actually looks like. "And hey there Scrappy! Do you want your usual?" He asks the dog who immediately stands on his little hind legs.

Once Santana started to bring Scrappy around, Finn started to supply dog treats for him. It is a small gesture that Santana loves to see.

"I'll take that as a yes," he laughs and turns behind the counter and comes back with two treats and then a carrier with Santana's latte and Brittany's tea. "And here you go. Busy day at work today?" He asks as Santana is pulling out her card to pay.

"Actually we're going down the shore today," Santana replies and inserts her card into the chip reader.

"That's awesome, you picked a great day for it."

"Yeah, it should be nice to get out of the city for a change," Santana makes sure she inputs a nice tip for Finn, as usual, and she grabs her drinks and Scrappy's treat. "You stay safe Finn."

"Will do, have fun today!"

She hands Scrappy one of his treats to start chowing down on as they head back to the apartment, giving the dog a little wink as he eats it quickly. "Don't tell Mommy B about this. She's going to start putting you on a diet."

They are back at the apartment a few minutes later and Brittany is already changed and ready to go. "Hey sexy," Brittany greets Santana and then bends down to pet the dog. "Hey little man. You ready to go to the beach?" She picks the dog up and starts kissing him. "You're getting a little heavy buddy." Brittany groans as she lifts him and Santana shoots the dog a guilty look. "I think the quarantine is making you put on a few pounds, huh?" Santana just shrugs in response and tries to telepathically tell the dog to keep his mouth shut.

After Santana showers and changes, they are grabbing their stuff to head out. Quinn had dropped her car off and parked it on the street the night before, so they hop right in the car and hit the road.

It is a drive full of sing a longs to 90s music and rolled down windows and Brittany being goofy and Santana loving every single second of it.

(Santana loved every type of adventure with Brittany.)

An hour or so later and they are walking onto a small beach in Asbury Park. There isn't a large crowd since there aren't any tourists or travelers. They find the part of the beach that dogs can go to, and set up in a little spot with their towels, six-feet away from the group next to them.

They enjoy breathing in the salt air, and Brittany goes diving into the water almost immediately. Meanwhile, Santana spends the day working on her tan and watching Scrappy dig some holes and play in the sand.

They eat the sandwiches Brittany made for them, and watch the waves crash against the shore. She looks over at Brittany who is getting a little red on the shoulders. She shakes her head quickly and grabs the sun tan lotion and starts reapplying to Brittany's shoulders and neck without waiting to ask. "You and your pale skin," Santana mumbles as she's rubbing the lotion in.

"Maybe I just wanted you to rub up all on me," Brittany jokes leaning back into Santana's touch. "I hope I don't get a mask tan line." Brittany says when Santana gives her a little kiss on the side of her head.

"You're going to need aloe when we get home," Santana says as she sees the red forming on Brittany's back.

Brittany just hums and Santana sees she's looking to the water where a little toddler is touching the water and giggling relentlessly. Santana can't help the smile on her face and she knows, without looking, that Brittany has the same smile on her face. "That's cute," Brittany sighs happily and Santana hums in agreement, going back to focusing on Brittany's skin.

(But all she can really focus on is Brittany and a toddler and first touches in the ocean.)

They spend a few more hours playing in the sand and water, helping Scrappy feel less scared by the waves and soon enough he is splashing around in the water with Brittany. Santana is snapping pictures of them on her phone and posting to her social media feeds: _Family beach day._

It is getting later in the day and the time out in the sun is getting to Santana as she feels just how tired she really is. She tries to avoid the thought of the two hour drive that awaits her and can already feel the stress hitting. But Brittany puts a hand over hers and she is brought back to the moment, to Brittany and to the waves and the smell of the saltwater.

Brittany reaches her other hand next to her, to where Scrappy is taking a little nap in the sand. Santana finishes applying the lotion and kisses Brittany on her shoulder. "Today was the perfect day, San. Thank you."

"You're perfect," Santana states and gives Brittany a peck on the cheek.

"You always say that," Brittany rolls her eyes.

(Today was perfect. But everyday with Brittany is perfect.)

"It's always true."

* * *

A few days after their beach trip, Santana is sitting at their dining room table going through her paperwork. Brittany had gotten up early to meet with Mike and some of the other dancers at the studio for a meeting. Santana was sleeping when Brittany left, and she was missing her daily dose of Brittany already.

Santana clicks her pen impatiently, looking around her apartment. Scraps is sitting at her feet looking up at her expectantly and she leans down and pats his little head. It seems to make him happy, because he snuggles into a little ball at her feet.

She had forgotten how quiet the apartment is without Brittany around. Brittany is usually playing music and doing little dances. Lately, Brittany has been trying to teach Scrappy to roll over and play dead, but that has not been going that successfully. She tries to focus on her paperwork, but is too distracted by the quiet. She debates taking Scrappy for a walk, but the sleeping puppy looks too peaceful for Santana to disturb. She ends up settling on playing on her phone scrolling through her Instagram and emails. She sees one of her clients emails her, but scrolls past it, not in the mood to deal with work right now. She then goes on Twitter and reads some news feeds.

(The world is still falling apart.)

She starts reading a new article about the latest treatments for COVID and sends it to her father, who has still been working in the trenches. She sees that they are starting to open up malls in New Jersey and some other places that have been closed for the last few months. She wonders to herself whether she will ever actually go back to work her office. Her mind wanders back to the office plants she left. (Back when she assumed this would be over in a few weeks.) She figures they are probably dead, and the thought makes her a little sad, since they were a gift from Brittany when she got a promotion.

As if on cue, Scrappy sits up and starts wagging his tail and panting his little tongue. Brittany has dubbed it his "special magic doggy senses": the way he can sense when one of them is near the door and about to unlock it. He runs over to the door and, as expected, in walks Brittany. Santana is just as excited about Brittany being home as Scrappy is, and when she looks up to see Brittany enter the room she thinks her tongue might be hanging out just like Scrappy.

Brittany is wearing a loose fitting tank top, and oh-so tight spandex that shows off her butt. Her blonde hair is thrown over her shoulders and she is tossing off her aviators on a side table as she puts her bag down. Santana is looking her up and down and shuts her mouth before Brittany notices her leering. Brittany is bending down and greeting Scrappy and then entering into the room.

"Hey sexy," Brittany murmurs and bends down, brushing hair out of Santana's face to give her a kiss on the cheek.

"Hey yourself, babe," Santana grabs Brittany by the wrist before she can pull away. "You look sexy as hell today," Santana whispers and kisses Brittany on the lips. Brittany moans into the kiss a bit before plopping herself down on Santana's lap. "How did your meeting go?"

Brittany is nuzzling her face into Santana's cheek and kissing her neck softly. "It was good. Hannah came!" She cheers the last part as she pulls away from Santana a bit, who nods happily.

"How is she feeling?"

"A lot better. No more symptoms at all!"

"That's awesome, Britt," Santana smiles and rubs Brittany's back in slow circles. "You all come up with a game plan for the studio?"

Brittany nods, "Yeah, we are going to add more virtual classes to make a bit more money and we are going to do a performance at the end of the summer."

Santana quirks an eyebrow. "Like a virtual performance?"

"Well, it'll be shown virtually. But we're going to do it in Central Park, a group of 10 of us or something," Brittany is rambling quickly, but Santana is trying to process it. "I don't know all the details. It was Mike's idea, something to support essential workers, but it should be fun!"

Santana pulls back to look at Brittany seriously. "Wait, is that safe?" Santana is imagining Brittany's usual performances, which usually involve her and Mike all over each other (not that she's jealous). Given the state of the world and the fact that one of Brittany's friends already tested positive, Santana's mind just starts to race with the worst case scenarios.

Brittany reads her so well and cups her cheek. "Everyone is going to get tested regularly and there won't be any partner stuff. We're going to be 6 feet apart from each other. It'll be perfectly fine." Brittany says it slowly, and it eases Santana's mind (at least a little bit). "I promise. But if you're still uncomfortable with it then I'll tell them no."

She bites her lip as she thinks it over; knowing how much Brittany has missed performing. "I want you to do it," Santana finally says and tries to stop her overthinking. "Sorry, I'm all protective over you," she says shyly, but Brittany is pulling her up by the face to look her in the eyes.

"I love that you care so much," Brittany says and then leans down to kiss Santana slowly. "I'm going to miss making out with you in the middle of the day when you're supposed to be working," she says with a wink when she breaks the kiss.

"Why are you going to miss it?" Santana narrows her eyes. "Are we not allowed to make out any more?" She jokes, but is still trying to put together the pieces in her head.

"Well I'll be going to rehearsals starting next week," Brittany starts as she wraps her arms around Santana's neck. "So I'll be leaving our love cocoon during the day."

The pout on Santana's face is immediate. She hadn't really expected that. She had gotten so used to Brittany being around all the time with her. She had gotten used to the way Brittany warmed up before her dances in the living room, and the sound of Brittany's laughter when she would be watching old episodes of things on Netflix when she got bored. They had lunch together every afternoon when Brittany would insist Santana take a break and pull her out of her work-from-home office space.

Sure, they still got stir crazy at times. And obviously Santana wanted things in the world to go back to how they had used to be. But this apartment really had become their safe little bubble (the love cocoon), and Santana is not really ready for that to go away just yet.

"Don't be sad baby, you'll go back to work soon, too," Brittany coos as she brushes her thumb over Santana's lip that's forming the pout.

"No, that's not it," Santana says, realizing Brittany thinks she actually wants to go back to working in the office. "I guess I just…" she trails off realizing she is going to sound so incredibly lame.

(But Brittany knows better. She knows Santana is already lame when it comes to them.)

"You just don't want me to leave our love cocoon, do you?" Brittany smirks and holds Santana by the face. Santana just shakes her head in Brittany's hands. "Guess we should enjoy every second of it while we can, huh?" Santana nods quickly, her face still in Brittany's hands. Brittany pulls their faces together and they start kissing hungrily.

(God, Santana almost wishes she could actually keep Brittany locked up in here with her forever.)

Brittany's tongue is massaging hers and she moves her hand to Brittany's butt, squeezing it through Brittany's spandex. When Santana hears the sound of Brittany's moans she loses all sense of control and lifts Brittany up the back of the legs off of her lap and onto the dining room table. "Your paperwork," Brittany breathes out, and Santana answers by sweeping all of her paperwork all off the table and ripping Brittany's tank top off. "Oh fuck," Brittany moans and Santana pushes her down by her shoulders to lay down on the table.

Brittany cursing always seems to ignite something in Santana; and before she knows it she is ripping off her own shirt and crashing her lips back into Brittany's.

She legitimately does have paperwork to do. And it is a Tuesday afternoon in the middle of her work week. But if there is one perk to this whole quarantine thing it is that she gets to do this whenever she feels like it.

So she follows her instincts and spends the rest of the afternoon showing Brittany just how much she is enjoying every single second of their love cocoon.

* * *

The next week Brittany leaves to go to her rehearsals, and it is just Santana and Scrappy hanging out all day. Santana can't help feeling grumpy at the fact that Brittany seems so excited to be leaving their apartment and going to work. Santana feels rejected, but she doesn't want Brittany to know that. Instead she wishes her girlfriend "good luck" and smiles at her. The second that their apartment door closes, though, Santana feels a little bitter. (Maybe Brittany didn't like their love cocoon as much as she claimed.)

Santana is sitting in her office, bored and trying not to miss Brittany too much, when she gets a notification that Brittany has posted a picture on her Instagram. (Yes, Santana gets alerts when Brittany posts, what about it?).

She figures it is a shot of her dancer friends or something, but that doesn't stop her from opening up the app immediately. Santana is greeted with an image that makes her heart catch in her throat.

It is a picture of her, sleeping, Brittany snuggled up behind her, kissing her cheek sweetly. She has no idea when the picture was taken, but she doesn't care at all. Santana could care less that she looks like she is snoring and her mouth is open and she is a total idiot. She couldn't care less, because her eyes are focused on how beautiful and happy Brittany looks, and that's when she sees the caption:

 _I can't think of any greater happiness than to be with you all the time.-Franz Kafka_.

Maybe it is the sweet picture. Maybe it is the caption. Or maybe it is just the confirmation that Brittany is just as happy as she is. But whatever it is, Santana is filled with a new sense of confidence, even through the tears that are clouding her eyes. She knows exactly what she has to do.

She knows that it is time to stop waiting. (Pandemic be damned.) There is nothing for her to wait for any more. Mercedes, like always, is right. Life is too damn short to wait for "eventually" or for some magic moment to happen.

It is time for Santana to make her fairytale a reality. No more waiting for an eventual date in the future, or waiting for the world to go back to normal (because what if it never does).

Staring at the picture in front of her, and reading Franz Kafka's words over and over again.

There really was no greater happiness than to be with Brittany all the time. Forever. Pandemic and all.

A week later and the pair is laying together on their couch, Scrappy laying on the floor next to them. Brittany has been rehearsing everyday for her performance at the end of the month, but the rehearsals were not as long or as tiring as usual so they were still able to enjoy their days together. Given that Brittany had been a little out of shape from lack of intense practicing, she came home every night a little sore, so Santana would give her back and foot rubs regularly.

That is exactly what they are currently doing. Brittany has her feet in Santana's lap as she is absentmindedly watching Netflix on their TV, while Santana rubs her girlfriend's feet and reading a legal brief in her lap at the same time. She is focusing on the knots in Brittany's feet and the legal jargon in front of her when Brittany's words disrupt her.

"It's our anniversary next week," Brittany says, not like she is surprised or like she had forgotten, just pointing out the fact, like she is pointing out that the sky is blue.

Santana looks up from her brief at Brittany, over her glasses that have slipped down her nose a little bit. "I know it is," Santana smiles, trying to read Brittany.

And how could she forget? They celebrated their anniversary each July on the day that they first met at Mercedes' concert for the last two years. They didn't consider their anniversary as the day of their first date, or their first kiss, or when Santana asked if Brittany would be her girlfriend. None of those dates mattered, because it was game over for both of them from the moment the first time their hands sparked when they touched for the very first time.

Santana remembers it like it was yesterday…

* * *

_She had just gotten the call from the law firm that she was hired and she felt so proud of herself. After years of hard work, she finally felt like she was getting the credit she deserved. She called her parents first, who were also ecstatic. Then the next call was Mercedes. Santana wanted to go out and celebrate, but Mercedes reminded her that she had a show that night._

" _Why don't you come to the show and then afterwards we can celebrate you?"_

_Santana immediately agreed, because she loved watching Mercedes perform ever since college._

_Over the years she became friends with a lot of Mercedes' friends, so when she showed up to the club she was immediately greeted by a large group of people who had heard her exciting news about her job. All of her drinks were paid for that night and Santana felt like a star. She didn't think her night could get any better...but then Mercedes started to sing from the stage._

_Mercedes was performing 'Lady Marmalade', and out walked a few dancers behind her. Usually, Santana would be so engaged in Mercedes' performance, but this time she could not tear her eyes from the dancers. (Actually, one dancer in particular)._

_The dancer was blonde and moved effortlessly (and yes she was completely sexy). Santana could not take her eyes off of the dancer, and she had to do everything in her power to not drool. Mercedes performed a few more songs, not all of them had the dancers in the background, but any of the ones that did Santana watched the blonde._

_When Mercedes was done she came down to the bar and Santana pulled into a big hug. "You were great, as per usual," Santana told her friend._

_Mercedes tossed her hair over her shoulder, "I know," she winked and then the two burst out into laughter loudly. They were bantering back and forth when someone appeared behind Mercedes. Santana immediately recognized the person as the blonde dance from the stage. "Oh hey Britt!" Mercedes put her arm around the blonde's shoulder and gestured to Santana. "This is my friend I told you about, Santana. Santana, this is Brittany."_

_Santana gladly extended her hand, and when Brittany grasped her hand with her own, there was a spark of electricity between the two hands. The two both seemed to notice and let out a little giggle._

" _Nice to meet you," Santana said, not even recognizing her shy voice._

" _Likewise," Brittany said shyly and Santana felt her heart race at Brittany's voice._

" _Wasn't Brittany great up there?" Mercedes asked and Brittany quickly waved her off._

" _I was a little off tonight."_

" _You were perfect," Santana said immediately, meaning every single word. Brittany blushed, but also looked at Santana with a curious expression. Maybe it was the 3-4 martinis coursing through Santana's system at this point that gave her the extra courage. Or maybe it was the infectious smile on Brittany's face. Either way, the way the next words came so easily. "It's true. You're perfect."_

* * *

"I know you wouldn't forget," Brittany says, breaking Santana out of her memories. "What do you want to do for it though?"

Brittany usually had planned an elaborate thing for the last two years, so the fact that she is asking Santana caused Santana to raise her eyebrows a little bit. "You mean you don't have anything planned?" Santana says with mock outrage. "I am so offended." Santana dramatically grasps her chest, earning her a quick kick to the ribs by Brittany.

"I had something planned," Brittany rolls her eyes. "But you know," she continues as she waves in the air. "Pandemic and quarantine," she says as she pouts. "It's a little hard to have a romantic night out when...you know."

"Yeah, I know," Santana nods and then grabs Brittany's feet again, giving them little rubs.

"So what do you want to do?" Brittany asks again.

 _Propose_.

Santana thinks it, but she doesn't say it out loud, just looks anywhere but at Brittany's face so she doesn't give anything away.

"I don't know, babe. Why don't we just keep it low key this year?"

"That's boring," Brittany grumbles.

"Since when am I boring?" Santana narrows her eyes playfully.

"You know what I mean," Brittany says, and Santana nods sympathetically. Brittany likes romance, and fancy dinners, and taking Santana to shows and concerts or spontaneous trips. But, like everything else in the world, their normal anniversary plans would be changed.

"I can make us a nice dinner, we can have flowers and candles," Santana suggests and sees Brittany smile a little. "Just like we are out, but just you and me. And Scraps of course."

Brittany's grin tells Santana she is completely on board. "Scrappy likes the sound of that," she says as she reaches down to pet the sleeping dog, who wakes up slightly at the touch. "Don't you Scraps?" Brittany gives Santana a wink and then starts to move her legs to crawl over to Sanana, laying down on top of Santana, who immediately wraps her arms around Brittany's neck. "Just you and me," Brittany repeats Santana's words.

"Kind of fitting for this year. Quarantine and all…" Santana shrugs, but Brittany just shakes her head.

"It sounds perfect."

"You're perfect," Santana whispers as she throws her legal brief on the floor.

"You always say that."

Brittany doesn't let Santana continue with her usual response and just kisses her instead. Brittany's tongue entering her mouth and working its magic quickly. They spend the next few hours just like that, Santana having to shove down the excitement in her stomach. (Not just from Brittany turning her on with every swipe of her tongue.) Because in a week it would be their anniversary.

In a week Santana would be asking Brittany to be her wife.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: So this is longer than the other chapters, because I couldn't really end it on a cliffhanger or something. Enjoy the final installment. I have been loving seeing all of your thoughts, definitely brightens my day during these crazy times. Hope you've enjoyed this!

When Santana used to spend weekends with her abuela growing up, the older woman used to say the phrase, "Todos los caminos llevan a Roma." She never really understood it, because it literally means "All roads lead to Rome" and as a kid she never really had a desire to go to Rome. But as she got older and realized the context of the old proverb, she would find her grandmother's words echoing in her mind from time to time.

When things got chaotic and life took unexpected turns, she would remind herself that things always seem to work themselves out in the end...eventually. In the end todos los caminos llevan a Roma... _eventualmente_...it just might not look like the original route Santana had planned on to get there.

And that is what she is reminding herself of currently as she is scouring New York City with Mercedes to find a jewelry store that is still open in the middle of a pandemic. The two are sitting at an outdoor cafe looking on their phones and calling different jewelers, after a morning of walking around the jewelry district to no avail. They are taking advantage of the fact that Brittany was spending her morning rehearsing for a few hours.

"You couldn't have at least gotten a ring before the world started ending?" Mercedes sighs as she throws her phone on the table after another failed attempt. Between the pandemic and the riots from the protests, a lot of jewelers in the city were closed indefinitely.

"Shut up," Santana grumbles as she is listening to the voicemail of a jeweler in Hell's Kitchen saying they are not currently open. "This was supposed to be the easy part," Santana groans as she hangs up and rubs her face.

"Maybe just put it off for a few more weeks when some places open up again," Mercedes suggests sympathetically.

"But our anniversary is this week," Santana points out.

"Which is why a few weeks after would be such a surprise," Mercedes sounds hopeful. "She wouldn't see it coming at all." Santana ponders it over, and knows that her friend has a point and that Brittany loves surprises.

"I guess…" Santana slowly states. "It's just not how I planned it at all."

"Story of 2020, girl," Mercedes remarks dryly.

"I know," Santana mumbles. "I just had a plan for our anniversary and this throws it all off." Santana puts her face back in her hands.

"Maybe Brittany is planning on proposing?" Mercedes smirks and Santana shoots her head up.

"Did she say something?" Santana panics and Mercedes laughs and shakes her head.

"No, girl, Brittany can't keep a surprise like that for shit."

Santana nods, because it's true (one of the many things Santana loves about her). "Yeah. Every year she ends up spilling the beans on my Christmas present about two weeks before Christmas," Santana laughs.

She remembers last Christmas when Brittany got her a copy of Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours" on vinyl, autographed by Stevie Nicks. Brittany was visibly excited and Santana did not even ask what was going on when Brittany blurted it out. The blonde didn't even feel bad about it or upset she just couldn't contain herself.

"No, I don't think she's planning on proposing. Up until a few months ago I think she still had some doubts that I was all in this," Santana says, recalling some of Brittany's insecurities after their fight. "Maybe even I had some doubts," Santana admits.

"And now?"

Santana doesn't even have to hesitate. She doesn't even have to think it over for a second. It comes as naturally to her as breathing. "Not a single doubt at all."

Mercedes smiles warmly at her. "You've come a long way, Santana. You're definitely not that kid who was kicking me out of our dorm room to sleep with a random girl every other weekend." They both laugh at the memory and then Santana shrugs.

"I never thought I'd be this person or that I wanted all of this," Santana admits. "But she's just…" Santana searches for the words, Mercedes not pressing. "Magic," she nods her head when she finds the right word. "She's magic, you know?" Mercedes just smiles. "All of a sudden I'm going on these trips with her, and she's always planning these really big elaborate romantic moments and I become this total sucker. And then I just want to be around her all the time and then we're moving in. Now I have a puppy for fucks sake...I don't even know how it all happened. It just did, you know?" Mercedes just laughs and nods. "Remember when we lived together how little things used to annoy me, like toothpaste left in the sink?"

"Oh yeah, you used to flip your shit over that."

Santana laughs and then continues. "Britt does it too. Everyday when I go in there after her there's some toothpaste left on the sink. At first it did annoy me, and I would roll my eyes and I'd annoy her about it. But then one day I stopped caring. And now?" Santana thinks back to last year when Brittany was away on tour for a few weeks, or before they lived together and the nights that Brittany didn't sleep over her apartment. "Now, if I don't see that stupid toothpaste in the sink...I miss it. It's like my day can't start right if I don't see that toothpaste left in the sink."

Santana sits there for a bit with a grin on her face, thinking about the toothpaste and Mercedes chuckle breaks her from her trance. "You got it bad, girl." Mercedes says and Santana knows it's true. (She's hopeless.) "Maybe you don't need a ring to propose, San. Maybe you need something simple...like toothpaste."

Santana rolls her eyes. "Shut up, I didn't tell you that for you to make fun of me."

Mercedes puts her hands up defensively. "I'm not making fun," and Santana is shooting her a glare. "Okay, maybe a little. But seriously, you guys clearly don't need a big flashy ring or something crazy expensive to know you love each other. You can show her other ways, and I don't mean sex," Mercede adds quickly, seeing Santana quirk a brow at her. "Show her what she means to you with something simple."

Santana thinks it over, "But I had a pl-"

"I know you had a plan," Mercedes interrupts her. "But nothing is going according to plan this year for anyone. I know Britt does all these romantic gestures for you sometimes, but think about it, they're also really creative. Wasn't your first date at like...the Statue of Liberty or some shit?" Santana nods with a smile, the Statue of Liberty was later on, but she's remembering going to the Tenement Museum on their first date, because in their first conversation Santana had said something about being interested in immigration issues and how there's so much history about it here in New York CIty. (She knew she would never get enough of Brittany then. Seeing how much attention to detail Brittany showed.)

"I guess the question is would you rather keep waiting for everything to be perfect and fit some made up plan, or would you rather take the next step in your relationship?" Mercedes asks directly.

Another one of her abuelas proverbs comes to her mind in that moment "A falta de pan, buenas son las tortas". Its literal meaning is "in the absence of bread, cakes are good." In English it is basically "beggars can't be choosers" or "take the good stuff that you can."

She had a whole plan. She wanted it all to be perfect. But the more she thinks about it, the more she realizes that things with her and Brittany never go according to plan (sometimes they even go better). So maybe she should stop worrying about her plans and how she thought this would be, and focus on the good stuff. Focus on las tortas and not el pan.

It is as simple as breathing. (It always has been with Brittany.) She answers Mercedes without hesitation. "The next step. It's not going to look like I planned," she shrugs. "Pero, todos los caminos llevan a Roma."

* * *

Later that night, Brittany and Santana are snuggled up in their bed with Scrappy snoring quietly at the end of their bed. Santana usually doesn't allow him on the bed, but sometimes Brittany pouts and all of Santana's resolve melts away. (And secretly Santana is happy to have her boy nearby). After a somewhat unsuccessful outing with Mercedes to find a jeweler she came back and started to come up with a plan B. She has three days to pull it all together, and given that Brittany and her are literally quarantined together it is a little hard to plan things discreetly. (In fact, she is shocked Brittany hasn't told her what her anniversary present is yet.) Regardless, she is thankful that the second bedroom/her office is there, and she can use the excuse of "Zoom meetings" or other work things to finish her planning.

They are currently watching a documentary on Netflix about racial injustices. Due to recent events in the country, they both decided to become more educated about privilege and other injustices out there. They figured it was a better way to spend their time instead of stewing on things, feeling helpless, and getting angry (well, mostly Santana) at the state of the country, and maybe this will avoid another blow out down the road as well.

A lawyer from the ACLU on the screen is finishing up speaking about the criminal justice system, and when they do Brittany grabs the remote and pauses. "How come you don't do that kind of law?" Brittany asks, shifting off of Santana to look at her.

The question catches Santana off guard. Brittany has never really questioned much about Santana's job, and sure Santana whines about it occasionally but Brittany has never asked her about quitting or changing paths ever. "Like a civil rights lawyer?"

"I mean, that's what you went to law school for, right?" Brittany asks sweetly, not pressuring or pushing anything.

Santana nods, and it is true, and something stirs inside of Santana just at the fact that Brittany even remembered that little tidbit she shared years ago. Santana decided all those years ago to become a lawyer to help fight injustices in the world, and she told Brittany so during their first conversation three years ago. But somehow things took her on a different road, and she doesn't fully regret it. She has a successful job and she is really good at it. But maybe it's the current issues she sees every day on the news. Or maybe the pandemic has taught her that money and success really doesn't matter in the long run. Or maybe it's just the way that Brittany is paying attention to the little details of their past conversations and once again reminding Santana of all of her potential in subtle ways.

"You know, San. You always say how jealous you are of me when I get happy about a new dance project," Brittany says as she sits up a little straighter, taking Santana's hands in hers. "We both deserve that kind of happiness. All the time. And I could be wrong. You could love your job more than it seems. But whenever this kind of law comes up," she gestures back to the TV and the documentary, now frozen on the screen. "You get this light in your eyes. It's infectious," Brittany gives her a little smile. "I'm proud of you no matter what. You could have no job and I'd be proudly yours," she squeezes Santana's hands a bit and Santana can feel the tears building in her eyes. "But I never want you to settle for anything."

"I make a lot of money now Britt-" before Santana could finish, Brittany's lips were on her own.

"Fuck the money," Brittany says forcefully as she pulls away. "I make enough money on my virtual dance classes. And I'll have more performances in the future. Plus we have so much saved." (Saved for the wedding. Saved for the baby. Saved for the future.) "Don't stay stuck doing something that doesn't make you happy just for money. I want you to be just as happy as me with your career. Look at all the people we know who lost jobs, who got sick, who had all their plans changed. Life's too short, right?"

Santana couldn't stop her head from nodding slowly. Brittany is right. Mercedes was right a few months ago. This quarantine shit is horrible. But it did show them all how short life could be.

"Right," Santana states, swallowing deeply. It's not often in their relationship that Santana is noticeably unsure. Brittany is always confident but even when Santana isn't, she never lets that wall down. But something about Brittany's pep talk makes the next question come out, no matter how unrelated it might be. "You think things will ever go back to normal?"

Brittany bites her lip and gives Santana's hands another squeeze. "I hope so. But I don't know. It's not seeming like it lately, huh?"

Santana nods, because that's all she can do.

"I think that's why I asked about your job," Brittany starts and Santana cocks her head a bit. "We keep putting things off for some time when things go back to normal. But who knows when that will be, if ever. And now they're talking about what's going to happen when the second wave of this virus hits…" Brittany's voice trails off. And despite her earlier confidence, Santana can see the worry.

Santana nods again. And this time her head is so far away from careers, but rather on proposing and she wonders if Brittany's thinking about that too.

"You're right babe. We should stop waiting," Brittany's head lifts with Santana's words. And Santana wants to just put them both out of their misery and ask her girlfriend to marry her. But she can't (yet). She can't follow much of her original plan. But she can at least make the moment a little special. So she quickly recovers. "When things settle down I'll look more into different job opportunities. Can't hurt right?"

Brittany is immediately grinning and pulling Santana in for a tight hug. Santana breathes a hidden sigh of relief that she changed the subject. Brittany then kisses Santana on the cheek "Can't hurt at all," she says and leans back down on the bed next to Santana, who immediately puts her arms around Brittanys shoulders. Brittany grabs the remote and hits play again.

"The ACLU or something would be cool to work for," Santana says, the wheels in her head spinning and the idea of it makes Santana feel excited.

"Totally cool," Brittany replies, and Santana can hear the smirk in her voice.

They go back to watching the documentary and enjoy that kind of comfortable quiet that comes when no words need to be said. They can just enjoy each other's company. Santana draws lazy patterns on Brittany's arms and Brittany nuzzles her face into Santana's chest.

When the film wraps up, Santana notices that Brittany's breathing has evened out a bit. The remote is on the other side of the bed and Santana can't reach it. Scrappy lifts his little head up and has a look on his face of total contentment. Santana can't help but feel the same. She switches the lamp off with her free hand and snuggles closer to Brittany; the credits of the movie playing quietly in the background.

She scoots down on the pillow and kisses Brittany on the forehead, Brittany sighing peacefully through her nose.

Santana feels her eyelids grow heavy, but just as he drifts into sleep she whispers to Brittany, "No more waiting."

* * *

The day before their anniversary and Santana is starting to feel some nerves creep in. Meanwhile, if Brittany has any clue what is to come, she isn't showing any signs. Well, that is until they are in the kitchen making dinner together and Brittany casually asks, "So are you all set for tomorrow?"

"What?" Santana asks suddenly, nearing cutting herself with the knife she is using to slice a tomato.

"Our anniversary…" Brittany states slowly, clearly noticing Santana's panic. "You said you were planning dinner? You didn't forget did you? Because, honestly San, it's bad enough we can't do anything special-"

"I didn't forget!" Santana quickly interrupts. "I have it all figured out," she smiles and Brittany leans against the counter next to Santana with a big smile on her face.

"Good," Brittany then leans in and kisses Santana softly. "So I don't get any hints?" She asks with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Nope," Santana replies. "You have a late rehearsal tomorrow still, right?" Brittany nods and pops a tomato slice in her mouth. "Good. Bring a change of clothes and change before you come back here for dinner." With that Brittany narrows her eyes curiously.

"I thought we were just staying here?"

"A magician never reveals their secrets babe," Santana winks and goes back to slicing the vegetables in front of her. She can feel Brittany smiling at her, and it gives her a warm feeling. Surprising Brittany is one of her favorite things ever, despite Brittany not being able to keep surprises and secrets herself.

As if on cue, Brittany playfully asks, "Aren't you going to ask me what I got you?"

Santana chuckles and rolls her eyes, "No, because then you're going to tell me."

"I don't always do that," Brittany pouts.

Santana notices the pout and puts her knife down to pause her slicing. "What happened last year when you threw me a surprise party?"

"I told you about it a week before," Brittany says slowly. "But in my defense, I sometimes think you don't like surprises and like to know things beforehand. I can't help it that I care about your feelings so much!"

Santana laughs and nods her head. "Whatever you say babe."

They spent the rest of the evening just like that, teasing each other and making each other laugh. The nerves Santana had experienced earlier in the day disappearing. She catches herself staring at Brittany for long periods of time. Seeing how her girlfriend talks to Scrappy, or laughs at Santana's jokes, the way she shakes her butt with a rhythm despite there not being any music playing. Each little action just makes Santana's heart swell and she has never felt more confident about a decision than she is about asking Brittany to marry her.

They are cuddled up in bed together drifting off to sleep when Brittany rolls over in Santana's arms to face her. She brings a hand up to Santana's face to ghost over Santana's features. "I'm so happy I met you three years ago," Brittany whispers.

Santana curls her hand so it's pressing against the skin on Brittany's lower back. "Me too."

Brittany's finger traces down from Santana's brow to her jaw, "Would you ever have guessed that night that this is where we'd be?"

_Yes._

(But how could she have. She never knew any of this was even possible three years ago.)

"Well I would have not imagined Donald Trump would still be president and the world is falling apart, if that's what you're asking," Santana quips, earning a poke in the stomach from Brittany.

"You're an ass," Brittany jokes back.

"What about you?" Santana says, turning serious. "Did you think we'd be here today?"

Brittany goes back to her gentle touches, from Santana's face, down to her neck and her arms. "Maybe I hoped for it," Brittany admits after a few quiet moments.

"Any regrets now that we're here?" Santana doesn't mean for her voice to sound so scared (it just does).

"Nope, not even that orange dye job I got last year," Brittany replies.

"You looked cute with that," Santana grins back.

"What about you, any regrets?"

"Not a single one," Santana replies immediately. She then leans forward and brings her lips to Brittany's softly.

"Still happy you asked me to move in with you?" Brittany whispers when their lips part, Santana feeling the hand that's on her shoulder rub in circles deeper.

"The happiest."

Brittany's hand then moves down to Santana's hip and one of Brittany's legs nudges in between Santana's. Santana can't control the throaty chuckle, knowing the signs of Brittany being in the mood.

"No regrets about Scrappy Doo, our baby boy?" Brittany asks sweetly as her hand moves down Santana's back and under the shirt.

"Never," Santana breathes out when Brittany's lips find Santana's neck.

"Want an early anniversary present?" Brittany giggles into Santana's neck. (Like she even has to ask.)

Santana pulls Brittany's face to hers and kisses Brittany deeply. "I told you you always spoil presents early," Santana laughs, but the smirk on her face is quickly wiped off when Brittany rolls on top of her and her crotch is hit with Brittany's knee. "God, Brittany," Santana moans.

"Happy anniversary baby," Brittany says, her voice filled with lust.

(How could Santana ever even think of regretting anything over the last three years when it brought her to this very moment.)

* * *

When Santana wakes up the next morning she feels like it is Christmas Day. Her and Brittany passed out somewhere around 2am the night before, after several rounds of "celebrating", and she feels sated throughout her whole body. She rolls over and notices Brittany is not with her and frowns, but also knows that Brittany is always the early riser. She pulls the blanket back and throws on her discarded shorts and a t-shirt that Brittany had stripped from her the night before. She stretches out her back and heads to the bathroom.

She is greeted with a post-it note on the mirror:

_Happy Day I First Met You xoxo_

And Santana just grins. She goes to brush her teeth and is greeted with the sight of her former pet peeve: leftover toothpaste in the sink. As she told Mercedes, it used to frustrate her to no end, and now it spreads an even bigger smile across her face.

She finishes up in the bathroom and heads to the kitchen where she is greeted with Brittany in the kitchen, making eggs and doing a little dance with Scrappy to Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande's "Rain on Me" which is playing from the Alexa speaker they have. Santana leans against the doorway of their kitchen and watches the site happily. Brittany in an oversized t-shirt and panties, nothing else, cooking and dancing. (There isn't a greater site in the world.)

Santana finally has to make her presence known and clears her throat a bit, Scrappy running over to greet her.

"Hey there sexy," Brittany spins around and grins widely. "Happy first day I met you!" Brittany greets Santana and puts a cup of coffee on the counter for her. Santana bends down to give Scrappy a pet on the head and a scratch behind his ears, his tail wagging happily. Brittany then goes back to the stove and Santana takes a big sip of her coffee. She eyes Brittany up and down, admiring Brittany's ass shamefully.

Santana finally can't resist and wraps her arms around Brittany's waist, holding her from behind. "Happy anniversary baby," Santana whispers, and nuzzles into Brittany's neck. "Making us breakfast?"

"You bet," Brittany giggles when Santana presses a kiss to her neck. "I figured since you were doing dinner tonight, it's the least I could do."

At the mention of dinner tonight Santana's heart skips a few beats, but she hides it by letting go of Brittany and taking another sip of her coffee. She then grabs one of the finished pieces of bacon and takes a bite, sneaking Scrappy a little piece with a wink and a whisper of "Don't tell Mom."

"So what time should I get back here?" Brittany asks from over her shoulder as she switches the stove off to put the eggs on a plate.

"7ish work for you?" Santana says as she takes a seat at their table.

"Perfect!" Brittany puts a plate of eggs and bacon in front of Santana and gives her a quick peck on the lips.

"Thanks babe," Santana says and they clink mugs together when Brittany takes a seat. "Happy first day that we met each other."

"Best day ever," Brittany says with a big smile on her face.

"Ain't that the truth," Santana replies with a mouth full of eggs, Scrappy sitting under the table waiting for something to fall.

"Gets better every year, doesn't it?" Brittany asks.

"Sure does," Santana winks.

They eat in comfortable silence for a bit, before Scrappy gets a bit more impatient and starts whining. "What has gotten into you Scraps? Is mommy giving you people food?" Brittany asks as she pets the dog from her seat, but glares at Santana playfully.

"Scrappy and I have no idea what you're talking about," Santana says as she starts to clear their plates, Scrappy following her into the kitchen. "Keep your trap shut you little shit," Santana whispers, and then hands him another little piece of bacon.

"I heard that," Brittany calls from her seat. Brittany is then in the kitchen and slapping Santana's butt playfully. "I have to get changed and get to rehearsal."

"You guys almost ready for your performance?" Santana asks as she starts cleaning their dishes.

"Hopefully," Brittany shrugs and finishes up the rest of her coffee. "Definitely going to be different than our normal stuff, but guess that's just how it goes now." Santana smiles at her sympathetically and then Brittany is off to get changed.

A little while later, Brittany is in her workout clothes and Santana is drying the dishes. She sees Brittany grab her bag of clothes to change into before she gets home. "So I'll see you around 7?" Brittany asks.

"Yup," Santana says, emphasizing the 'p' and turning away from the sink to see Brittany.

"Can't wait," Brittany says as she steps closer to Santana and puts a hand on Santana's hip. "Very excited to see what you have in store," she whispers and Santana smirks back. "Considering I usually come up with our plans…" Brittany says seductively, pulling Santana even closer. "I'm expecting to be blown away tonight, Lopez."

"I think your expectations will even be exceeded, Pierce," Santana grins up at Brittany. She then brushes a stray hair out of Brittany's face. "Be safe today," her tone turns serious.

"Always," Brittany replies and leans down to give Santana a kiss. Santana is immediately moaning into the kiss, and pulling Brittany closer, not wanting to let go just yet.

They kiss a little longer and Brittany is finally pulling away and heading toward the door. "I'll see you tonight," Brittany grins. She then bends down and gives Scrappy a quick kiss. "You too little man, don't let Mommy get you into too much trouble."

Santana rolls her eyes, but gives them both a big grin. "See you tonight babe. Love you."

"Love you too," Brittany smiles and heads out.

As the door closes Scrappy heads over to Santana and she looks down at the puppy with her hands on her hips. "Alright buddy, let's get to work."

* * *

Santana had taken the day off from work to prep for the night and as she was staring at the final product of the living room and working on setting the table by the kitchen. It was 5pm and she could feel the nerves in her body radiating. She had told her parents what the plan was and they were all on board. She also gave Brittany's parents a call earlier in the week to ask their permission and they were ecstatic. (Santana isn't always traditional, but when she is she took it seriously.)

She looks down at Scrappy, who has been following her all over the apartment as she sets up the lights, the candles, the photographs she is strategically placing on the walls. "What do you think, Scraps? We did good, huh?" She says as she is finishing the final touches. He immediately wags his tail.

(Good enough for a dog.)

She takes another deep breath and looks at her phone for the time. She has just enough time to shower and to finish up with the food that's in the oven.

When she gets out of the shower she sees a text from Mercedes.

_You ready for tonight?_

She types up a quick reply. _I think so…_

Mercedes immediately responds back. _You got this girl. She's going to love it._

Santana smiles and puts her phone down as she gets changed and does her hair. She imagines herself three years ago, fresh out of law school, brimming with potential and excitement. Santana from three years ago never would have guessed that this is where she would be today. She never would have imagined a global pandemic shutting the world down. She never would have imagined having a dog. She never would have imagined she would be preparing to change her whole life and asking someone to spend forever with her. None of it would have even seemed possible three years ago. But here she is.

6:15pm.

Brittany should be at the apartment in 45 minutes...

(Here we go.)

* * *

It is 7:03pm when Scrappy is running to the door, hearing the signs that Brittany is heading to their door. Santana finishes lighting the last of the candles and smooths out her red dress she bought specifically for this occasion. Scrappy looks behind him to Santana, as if he is asking for permission. "You know what to do Scraps." His tail is wagging uncontrollably and Santana can't help but laughing.

She also could not help putting him in a little black bow-tie for the occasion, which he is wearing proudly. Brittany is turning her key in the lock and Santana takes a deep breath in.

When Brittany opens the door, Scrappy is sitting down at the door patiently, waiting for his pets and scratches. Brittany, dressed in a black dress that Santana has not seen before, bends down to greet Scrappy, while also eyeing behind the dog to see Santana's set up. "Oh hello good boy, what do we have here, huh?" Brittany coos to the dog. "Mommy put you in a little suit. And you look so handsome!"

Santana has a table for two set with roses and candles. The rest of the lighting is low in the rest of the apartment, with candles all around their living room.

Santana is standing at the table waiting for Brittany to finish with Scrappy. As she hoped, Brittany finds the little note she tucked into Scrappy's bow tie.

 _Please follow Scrappy Doo to your table_.

Santana watches Brittany read the note and stand back up with a big grin on her face. She tosses her dance bag on the floor and gladly follows Scrappy over to Santana. "The service at this restaurant is so adorable," Brittany jokes.

Santana steps forward with a small bottle of hand sanitizer, "Safety first, miss," Santana says seriously over Brittany's giggling. She squirts some sanitizer into Brittany's hands who quickly rubs it in. She then holds Brittany's hands and steps back to take Brittany's full appearance in. Her blonde hair tossed over her shoulder effortlessly, but still looking like it was professionally done. The black dress Brittany is wearing clings to her curves perfectly. "Britt…" Santana sighs out, marveling at her girlfriend.

"You like?" Brittany says with a spin.

"Love."

Brittany grabs Santana's hands and pulls her into a soft kiss. "Happy anniversary, baby," Brittany says quietly as she wraps her arms around Santana's neck. Santana hands find their place on Brittany's hips. Santana can't resist pulling Brittany back in for another kiss. "This place looks amazing," Brittany says when they pull apart.

Almost forgetting they were standing in front of a romantically set table in an apartment full of candles and flowers. "Ah yes, take a seat," Santana says, dropping her hands and pulling out Brittany's chair. Scrappy immediately takes a seat on the floor next to Brittany.

"Such service," Brittany sighs happily. Santana rushes to the kitchen and gets the plates of salad.

"Here you are, miss," Santana puts the plate down in front of Brittany.

She then pulls up a stool that has a laptop propped on top and hits the screen, revealing a view of Manhattan at night.

"And who knew this restaurant had such a lovely view," Brittany giggles. "San, this is too much."

Santana just shakes her head and pours Brittany a glass of wine. "You wanted romance, babe. I told you I would exceed your expectations."

"You really did," Brittany smiles as she takes a sip of her wine. "I love it. Seriously, San. This is amazing."

Santana smiles and holds her glass up, "Happy first day that we met, Britt."

"Best day ever," Brittany says as she brings her glass to Santana's. They both take a drink of their wine. Brittany looks around their apartment. She squints her eyes into the dark living room. "What's with all the pictures in there?"

Santana shrugs nonchalantly, "Dinner first, answers later."

"So mysterious," Brittany replies as she starts eating her salad. "Is Scrappy in on it, too?" Brittany asks as she looks down at their puppy. "Who by the way, looks so handsome in his little bow tie."

"Doesn't he?" Santana grins proudly. "And Scrappy has been sworn to secrecy, so you'll just have to wait and see."

"Can't wait," Brittany says with a wink as she finishes her salad.

(Neither can Santana.)

* * *

They finish their dinner, and Brittany is leaning back in her seat rubbing her stomach happily. "Your enchiladas are the best, San." Scrappy is sleeping peacefully in between their seats. They have spent the last hour eating and joking around with each other. Brittany told Santana all about her rehearsal and the plans for the upcoming performance. Santana was captivated by every word, just like whenever Brittany told her about any of her performances.

"Glad you liked it," Santana grins, finishing off her glass of wine. (Liquid courage.)

"Loved it all," Brittany smiles and reaches out across the table to hold Santana's hand. "I know I teased you about making this romantic and all, but you really outdid yourself." Santana simply shrugs, because Brittany always deserves all of the romantic gestures. (Plus the night isn't even over yet.) "You want your present now?"

"You didn't have to get me anything, Britt," Santana says nervously, hoping Brittany doesn't beat her to the punch. "Seriously, don't worry about it."

Brittany is already standing up. "Oh hush, I get you something every year." She starts heading to their hallway closet, and Santana starts kicking herself that she didn't even think to snoop in the closet. (Brittany hides her presents in the same place all the time.) "But this year it was a little difficult with everything closed," Brittany says from the hallway as she grabs a bag from the back. Santana watches her struggle and she almost wants to offer to help, but Brittany also looks cute. "So I'm sorry, this was kind of a last minute purchase." Brittany heads back and hands Santana a large bag. "Happy anniversary, baby." Brittany leans down and gives Santana a peck on the lips.

"You really didn't have to get me anything," Santana says, but also relieved that it's not a ring in front of her. She starts fishing through the bag and pulls out a brand new leather briefcase. "Britt it's-"

"I know you already have one," Brittany interrupts. "But I was thinking you'd need a nicer one, for a new job like we were talking about...someday." (Someday. God she loves this woman.) "You like it?"

"Britt, it's beautiful. I love it," Santana says genuinely, running her hands over the brown leather. "I can't wait to use it...someday."

They are falling into a comfortable silence when Brittany subtly clears her throat. "So…" Brittany starts, head nodding behind her to where Santana has hung pictures strategically around their living room. "Do I get to know what the deal is with the pictures now?"

(Here goes nothing.)

Santana laughs softly as she pushes her chair out from the table and stands, holding out her hand for Brittany to take. "Yes you do," Brittany takes her hand and Scrappy is jumping up excitedly, ready for the show to begin. "So since we can't currently go out to places like we normally do, I thought I would bring some of our favorite places to us." She leads Brittany into the living room, and hits a switch, the living room lighting up with Christmas lights that she and Scrappy had put up earlier in the day.

"San…" Brittany breathes out, taking in the sight of pictures of various New York City landmarks that she and Santana have been to over the last three years.

"We're going to do a little tour of the city, and some other places, but Quarantine style," Santana states proudly, seeing Brittany's big smile. "First up is the Tenement Museum," Santana says as she pulls Brittany over to the nearest picture. The picture is a selfie that Brittany took of the two of them on their first date.

"That was a good day," Brittany sighs as she looks at the picture fondly.

"Our first official date," Santana remembers. "You told me you loved the history in those buildings. And afterwards we got ice cream at…" and she tugs Brittany's arm slightly bringing her to the next picture, which is the front of Brittany's favorite ice cream shop.

"We haven't been there in so long!" Brittany squeals excitedly. "Can we go back soon?" Santana simply nods and brings her to the next picture.

"Then we have the Statue of Liberty."

"Not technically in New York City," Brittany says seriously.

"Correct. It is in New Jersey waters," Santana laughs. "This was after a few months of dating," Santana remembers looking at the picture of her and Brittany, both wearing Statue of Liberty crowns that Brittany insisted they buy. They looked like total tourists, but Santana loved it.

"You got so annoyed at that kid who took our picture and it kept coming out blurry," Brittany laughs at the memory and Santana just rolls her eyes.

They make their way through various photographs that Santana had hanging up, with similar memories. The restaurant they went to after a year of dating that they split a delicious cheesecake. The photo of the two of them outside of the theater where they saw Hamilton together. A picture of the two of them kissing at Coney Island. A candid shot that Brittany's coworker Mike took of the two of them at a New Year's Eve party, both laughing and arms around each other.  
All the photos were memories they have made together. Each one Brittany laughed at or pulled Santana in for a quick kiss, remembering all of the fun they have had the last three years together. Scrappy was following them around the room, watching his two moms giggle and kiss, wagging his tail the whole time.

They were nearing the last few photos and Santana could feel her nerves begin to increase. They were in front of a photo that Santana had taken of Brittany at the fountain by Lincoln Center this winter, before the world got crazy. "That's my favorite photo of you," Santana says shyly. It was evening and the lights of the fountain were in the background, and Brittany's silhouetted face looked at the sight around her awestruck. Santana took the picture briefly, but she loved it so much, because it captured a side of Brittany so many people rarely got to see, it was like the side of Brittany that was just reserved for the two of them.

Brittany just turns her head and kisses her for a few moments. She clearly doesn't want to stop, because she's pouting when Santana pulls away. "Just a few more left," Santana whispers.

The next one is another selfie of the two of them, this one they both have masks on. It was taken early on in the pandemic. "Who knew we'd still be locked inside today, huh?" Brittany jokes lightly, but Santana can tell she's a little sad, so she tugs Brittany over to the second to last picture quickly. It's the three of them: Santana, Brittany and Scrappy. "Our boy!" Brittany cheers immediately. "Look at our little family." Brittany then bends down to pick up Scrappy. "Look Scraps, you even are included."

Santana smiles at the two of them, getting lost in how happy Brittany looks. She then takes a deep breath as they start to shift over to the last picture on the wall. Brittany puts Scrappy back on the floor and looks at the picture in front of her. "Who is this?"

"It's my abuela," Santana says quietly. Referencing the picture they are in front of, an older Latina woman who bares a striking resemblance to Santana and her mother, sitting in a chair, with a small smile on her face. "Remember I told you about how I spent weekends with my abuela growing up?" She asks and Brittany looks at her with a small smile and nods. It's a look that Brittany gives her when Brittany knows she is being let in on something important to Santana. Santana has always tended to not share personal things with a lot of people, but unlike other people in her life, Brittany has always shown interest and gently let Santana bring all of her walls down. She's had girlfriends before that didn't like how guarded she was, but not Brittany. Brittany let Santana do everything at her own pace.

Just like now. She's not pushing or asking questions, she's just letting Santana find the words slowly. "My abuela always used to have all of these phrases in Spanish she used to say. Like 'todos los caminos llevan a Roma' or 'a falta de pan, buenas son las tortas'" She could see Brittany scrunch up her nose, like Brittany did whenever Santana spoke Spanish, trying to figure out what Santana was saying. Santana grabs Brittany's hands and gives them a little squeeze. "My favorite phrase she always used to say was 'el amor todo lo puede.'"

"Amor means love…" Brittany says as she tries to figure out the rest.

"Yeah, it does. The phrase literally means 'love everything it can', which doesn't make sense," Santana rambles. "But it basically means: love can do anything." She gives Brittany a cautious look and the blonde is just smiling at her, encouraging her to continue. It gives her all of the courage in the world. "I never got it before. I mean, I got what it meant, but I guess I never believed it before."

"Before?"

"Before you," Santana says it simply and Brittany blushes immediately. "Before you, I never really understood when my abuela would say it like it was the simplest thing in the world. But it's true, and you taught me that." Brittany tries to look away, but Santana pulls her face back up softly by the chin. "You've shown it to me through all of these memories we've made over the last few years," Santana gestures around the living room. "And even how you believe in me to get a new job and with your gift tonight. You show me that love can really do anything. El amor todo lo puede."

"San-" Brittany starts, but Santana's cutting her off with a quick kiss fearing that if Brittany stops her she might never continue.

"All of these memories are great and all," Santana says as she pulls away from Brittany's lips. "But these last few months have shown me that none of this," She gestures back to the room around them. "Would be possible without you. Without you loving me the way that you do. You make it so that anything really is possible. When I met you I had this whole plan for my life, and you came in and showed me your New York, and dancing, and this happiness I never even knew possible." Santana shakes her head and shrugs. "I've loved all of these memories, and all of these places you've shown me. But I learned during all of this quarantine stuff: I don't need any of that."

"You don't?" Brittany quirks an eyebrow.

"No, I just need you," Santana shrugs. "I just need you and these four walls, our love cocoon, and Scrappy. If we're locked inside forever, but I get to spend all forever with you? That's all I need. That's all I'll ever need. Because I love you, and we can do anything together."

"El amor todo lo puede," Brittany replies slowly, trying to get the phrasing and the Spanish right.

"I hope we're not in quarantine forever though, because I'd like to make some new memories too," Santana gives Brittany's hands a little squeeze and Brittany nods.. "The picture also has a bit more to it than me explaining the phrase though," Santana starts, trying to control her own breathing. "I know I usually get you jewelry for your birthday or our anniversary. But COVID kind of screwed up those plans."

Brittany chuckles, "Seriously Santana, you already did enough-"

"But then I remembered," Santana interrupts. "My abuela gave me something a few years ago that I forgot about until a few days ago." Brittany quirks an eyebrow, clearly confused. "And she's wearing it in that photograph."

Brittany's head immediately whips to the photograph on the wall, dropping Santana's hands and stepping away from Santana to look closely to find what Santana is talking about. Brittany's eyes are scanning the picture for a few moments when she says confusedly, "The only thing she's wearing is a wedding-"

"Ring," Santana finishes from where she is now kneeling behind Brittany, holding up the ring that her abuela had given her ("for a special someone") four years ago, before she passed away.

Brittany slowly turns around, realization dawning on her, and she brings her hands to her mouth. "Oh my God," she gasps, looking down at Santana. Scrappy immediately sits next to Santana patiently waiting for the answer.

"What do you say, Britt? Will you stay locked up in here and quarantine with me forever if we have to? Will you marry me?" Santana asks and she involuntarily starts holding her breath, feeling Scrappy next to her who also seems to be holding a breath.

She doesn't have to wait too long before Brittany is throwing herself on top of Santana, practically tackling her to the ground and covering Santana's lips and face with kisses. Through the kisses Santana can hear whispers of "Yes, yes, yes, yes". All of the breath she was holding is released and she grabs Brittany by the waist to keep her still for a minute, making sure she can slide the ring on to Brittany's finger. When she finally looks into those big blue eyes she can see them filled with happy tears. "It's beautiful San," Brittany says wistfully as Santana slides the ring on her left ring finger. "God, I love you so much."

Brittany grabs Santana by the face and pulls her into a long kiss, the two of them both on their knees now, on the floor of their living room.

"I love you too," Santana says when they pull apart and are resting their foreheads against each other.

"Forever is a long time," Brittany says as she glances down at her hand that the ring is now placed on. "It's like the ultimate quarantine." Brittany jokes and Santana giggles.

"Think you can handle it?"

Brittany pulls Santana in for a deep kiss. "Gladly," she whispers. "Sounds perfect to me."

"You're perfect," Santana replies immediately, her hands tugging Brittany closer to her by the waist.

"You always say that," Brittany says softly, waiting for Santana's usual response.

Santana grabs Brittany's hand that's on her shoulder and finds her abuela's engagement ring that is now there. She kisses it, saying a silent _thank you_ in her head. She looks back up at Brittany and smiles, "It's never been more true than now."

Santana kisses Brittany and they spend the rest of the night wrapped up in each other. Santana can't help the butterflies in her stomach as she goes to bed that night, cuddled up to her _fiance_.

She finally got her fairytale. Despite the pandemic, or maybe in spite of it, they were going to live happily ever after.

The end. (Or maybe, just the beginning of it all…)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for coming on this ride with me! This was supposed to be one shot, but I just had too much fun writing this verse. Especially since my other story is so angsty. I might do some little snippets of these two down the road...we'll see. You can find me on tumblr at im-nora-ephron-bitch if you have any thoughts!


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